I'm Coming Home
by Yaru0809
Summary: Tell the world, I'm coming Home.
1. Tell The World (I'm coming home)

"Are you sure?" Hanna asks her for a zillion time, with the same concerned tone in her voice.

At the Radley's presidential suite there were already just them, the bride, Alison, and the maids, Spencer, Hannah and Aria. It was well-known by that time that Ali didn't feel something beyond gratitude for Elliot, the groom; still, for her, that was enough of a good reason to marry him. For her, Dr. Elliott Rollins was an exceptional man, the psychiatrist was something like a saint, he has taken care of Charlotte while he could, but the oldest DiLaurentis still made everything to send him away until she finally accomplished her goal, but that didn't stop Allison in making her decision. It did not take long for Charlotte to express her discontent about the union.

 _"That man is bad news," Charlotte alleged pacing up and down._

 _"For you, everyone is bad news, Charlotte" Alison retorted rolling her eyes. She sighs and shifted in her seat._

 _"He's a creep Ali, I'm sure."_

 _Alison snorted at. "It takes one to know another."_

But the oldest blonde wasn't the only one who warned her, Jason, who meet the men before they got engaged in a relationship beyond the professional kind, had his idea about the doctor.

 _"That dude is a freak Ali, I do not like him," the oldest DiLaurentis-Hastings offspring said when she called around the same time she talked to Charlotte._

 _"Well, it seems like you and Charlotte had finally something in common" The tight smile in her face pass unnoticed._

 _"She's maybe a basket case, but we see something that you, clearly don't."_

And with the three girls there, Alison's nerves were skyrocketed, it was almost time, and the girls were trying to persuade her to call off the wedding, it wasn't fair to Elliott to marry someone who didn't love him, at least not really. Her heart didn't belong to Elliott, her heart was somewhere else, with someone else.

"You still have time Ali, it isn't late to back off, to make things right for you," Aria calls her out once more. Spencer nodded fiercely, supporting the girl.

"And who says this isn't the right thing to do?"

"Your heart" Jason DiLaurentis' eyes were softer than ever, the icy blue eyes popped out among the black designer suit, he was older, handsome as always.

"You're here"

Alison stood up from her chair in front of the vanity and embraced her brother, Spencer and Aria chuckle, Hanna just grinned, still pleased with herself about the dress, a Greek shaped dress in silk and lace, all of it, a dutiful work, maybe one of the greatest masterpiece from the designer, said the artist. Jason also wraps his arms around his other sister, he did just the same with Aria and Hannah, the blonde boy has grown fond of the annoyingly curious girls over the years.

"I thought you wouldn't make it," Alison said back at her chair, looking at him through the mirror.

"I maybe don't like that boy-man but, I will never let you going down that aisle on your own"

Another knock on the door made the attention shift from Jason to the newcomer. With a charming and warm smile, Pam Fields was standing in a fair pink dress and silver heels. The image of the older woman made Alison inhale, having her there was like somewhat having Emily amongst them.

Bright and cheerful, the woman mussed"Where is the bride?"

Pam Fields adopted Alison DiLaurentis as her own; Sundays brunches, festivity meals and birthdays. Alison never dreamed of a maternal relationship like theirs, Pam Fields became the mother she never had, the one with whom she dreamed all those years when everything was dark and cold inside her. Immediately, she was on her feet again to embrace tightly the matriarch of the Fields family, a single tear fell from Pam's cheeks, with her daughter away, with no plans of coming back home any time soon, taking Alison, a kid that she watches grow into a beautiful woman, make all the sense in the world.

"You look beautiful, but I think it would be better with these" Opening the little box, a pair of dog tags, made in silver and gold with the inscription ' ** _How about forever?'_** "She sent this to me the day after I told her"

Alison regretted a lot of things, Loving Emily Fields was one of the few she didn't. Seven years ago, faith tore their roads apart, and six years have been since the last time she talked to the girl. Pam put the necklace around her neck. The burning feeling that was with her every time she thinks about her became louder, higher, intense; Hanna gave her a last look, she knew better than anyone else, she could give anything. Hanna Marin knew about everything that was crossing her mind, on the other hand, Aria and Spencer maybe weren't so sure, but they supposed, not as good as Hanna, but they knew very well.

"I'm going to ask you again Ali, are you sure this is what you want?"

Everyone else in the room waited for Alison to answer Hanna's question, but nothing came out, nothing could be hard beside her heart being torn from her chest. Taking her brother's arm and looking at every person in the room for just a couple of seconds, Alison finally made her mind.

"Let's go, I need to get married"

The nuptial march stops when Alison and Jason reached the altar, the church was flooded with people, mostly Elliott's family and coworkers, he was grinning, glowing, maybe even more than the bride herself. There was no doubt, he was handsome, fair skin, tall, slender, not muscular by any means, but he could stand beside someone like Toby without a problem. Jason gave her sister the last glance, it was charged with meaning, some reassurance too, but it was also giving her a message, _'you don't need to do this'_. The chaplain started the ceremony, during the entire time, Alison couldn't deny it, she was on autopilot, she notices so too when the time for the vows came; everyone in the room _(at least from the Rollins family)_ , melted at his speech; Spencer and Jason rolled their eyes in annoyance, _(a treat the three of them shared)_ , Hanna yawned, Aria sighs and Pam just avoided doing anything, trying to be as supported as she could be. But she was already a million miles away, she could hear words, but it wasn't from his vows, nor him; tanned skin, chocolate brown eyes, soft skin and the most gentle smile of them all.

 ** _"I loved her against reason, against promise... against peace, against hope, against happiness... against all discouragement that could be."_**

That was all she could take, the idea of spending the rest of her life imagining someone else instead of her husband, a man she was supposed to cherish and love unconditionally, and yet, she felt nothing when he looked at her, nor when he touched her, and it wasn't him, it was all on her, she was probably ruined forever.

"I-I-I'm so sorry Elliott, I can't do this, I can't, I'm sorry" Looking one more time over her shoulder, she got the reassurance from the smirk in Hanna's face, the grin from Aria, Spencer, and Jason, and a soft warm smile from Pam, it was everything she needed.

She ran down the hallway, she could hear the commotion in the pews and Elliott calling her name. Like some kind of Hollywood overly cheesy movie, but without the happy ending, she got no one to elope with, she was on her own, the only person she ever will want to be was now gone, MIA, kaput, ciao. She got into a cab, the chauffeur was looking at her in awestruck, her destination was more than clear. She ended up in the middle of the woods, in the kissing rock, with the necklace tightly in her fist, knelt in the dirt, over her, the clouds were darker, just like her life. The rain starts to pour over her and the mud around was now liquid, the dress, white as a sea pearl, was ruined. She couldn't hold it anymore, her life was a total lie, a scam, a Greek tragedy, compared to her life, Oedipus was a utopia. She couldn't hold back her tears, the sobs broke striking her body like thunder when the weight of her mistakes fall on the shoulder, the sorrow and the misery were gripping her heart in a vice-like grip, her chest was contracted, she was dying painfully slowly, life was counting every single mistake she ever made and making her pay, one by one, in spades.

It took a lot of tears, regret, grief, and pain for her to collect herself and start walking back to the DiLaurentis' household, once there, the first thing she did was get rid of the ruined beyond repair dress, it was cover in dirt and mud, some parts of the long tail and skirt were ripped from rocks and low branches, Alison figured out that it was better if she just disappeared before Hanna could see it. Tossed in a black bag, and after a long hot shower, where Alison just cried a little more, she got the dress in the garbage can; she was already in some comfortable clothes, Emily's old shark sweatshirt, cotton pants, and socks, it was barely 4 pm and was still raining outside, she realized, she just walk down from the kissing rock to Bridgewater Terrence under the cold autumn storm. Her body was tired and damaged, just like her soul; without even noticing, Ali fell fast asleep in the bed, but her sleep wasn't Pacific or calm; terror, nightmares came back to haunt her, dreams plagued with blood and lost, persecution and execution. The nightmare ceases with a loud sound, a heavy wooden door flying open and hitting a wall, with her eyes barely open, Alison notices that the origin of the sound was the door of her room. Elliott was there, visibly poisoned; his dressing shirt was half tugged, his face was pale, the eyes were shot in blood and his hair was messed up.

"Elliott, what the hell?" The man was just staring at her leaning into the wall, he looks different, not just the intoxicated state, but something darker was going on underneath.

"You're some piece of work Alison DiLaurentis" the doctor slurred while taking steps closer to the bed "But I can be patient, if-if you need more time, I definitely could wait for you"

"Elliott you don't understand…" "WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALISON?" The sudden yell and the charged air made her jump in place. The hair in her stood at the impending sense of dread.

"I don't love you, Elliott" Alison muttered under her breath, her field of vision went blurry when her head shifted violently to the right; a sharp crack broke the air, Ali notices the sharp sting in her left cheek.

Elliott has slapped her. Alison looked at him with her hand holding tight the assaulted skin, trying to soothe the pain radiating from the place.

Shortening the distance, his hand fisted a bung of her hair, yanking her closer making jer neck crane in an odd, backward and painful position.

"Let me go, Elliott, you're hurting me" She tried, she reached deep down for the girl who used to made adults tremble, but she wasn't nowhere to be found.

"Oh, honey, but I'm just starting" The wicked, lopsided grin was the last thing Ali focused on before the first blow connected with her solar plexus.

Elliott's fist made contact with her belly, _one, two_ , the air got expelled from her lungs; Alison bends over, he took the opportunity to punch her temple, the blow sent her to the floor, the room was spinning and the pain in her abdomen was unbearable. He took her hair again and put her head straight, the slaps came in tandem, one after the other; she can see him smile, it was blurry, she didn't know if it was because of the hits or the tears, but hell she could see him smile in delight through the mist. He dragged her across the floor, Alison tried to spare the pain holding his wrist, trying to release the tension in her hair, it was useless. Her throat was hoarse, she didn't notice until then, she was screaming, pleading, holding onto her life with force.

He hauled her downstairs, she felt the bump of the stairs hitting in her ribs and legs; when they got at the end of the stairs, he threw her against the armrest of the couch in the living room, her body was already numb, but he didn't care, he came close, he came close and start kicking her, she swears, she could hear her bones cracking and her body pleading, screaming because she couldn't do it anymore. She shielded her face with her arms when the man threw her grandmother's vase straight at her, it shattered in a million pieces of porcelain.

"You're a sneaky bitch" He grabbed her forcefully from her bleeding arms and tossed her on the couch, forehead collided against the frame of the furniture. "But just like all the whores, you like it rough" the hot breath and the smell of alcohol make her nauseated.

Maybe it was just the feeling of her cotton pants getting ripped, maybe it was his hands on her body, or maybe it was just the feeling of being brutalized. Or maybe, it was nothing at all.

* * *

Spencer Hastings just could describe her day with one word, rollercoaster. Being bridesmaid for a wedding that was destined to fail in the first 6 months wasn't a good feeling, even more, if it was one of your best friends' wedding. She loves Ali, God knew she loves the girl like her sister, but Ali didn't love her fiancé at all, well, at that time, at 10:36 pm, Spencer was sure about Elliott Rollings being single and available. Veronica and Peter were Philadelphia, that meant Hanna and Spencer had the house on their own; the blonde, was currently lying in Spencer's bed without her shoes, the youngest Hastings was looking at the DiLaurentis House very attentive, it was dark in there, but she could depict the other car in Alison's driveway, it wasn't Jason's, the man was driving a _Mercedes Benz_ , and Spencer maybe wasn't a deep expert in cars, but definitely, that wasn't a Mercedes.

"Hannah, what car Ali drive?" Spencer asks not taking her gaze away from the window.

"I think is a _BMW, it's a convertible_ " She was now leaning in her elbows looking with a frown.

Spencer now was sure, the SUV park in the DiLaurentis's driveway it wasn't Alison's or Jason's. The girl stormed out of the room without a word, Hanna blinks twice before she caught up and ran behind her friend. She found her in Peter Hastings's studio, she was going through the lock of one of the drawers. It's been a long time since she had broken in somewhere by picking a lock, not even when she forgot her keys somewhere else, she would call the locksmith. The Glock 17 was immediately in her hand, Hanna, still standing under the lintel, stared in dread, her breath hitched at the sight and the implication.

"Call 911" Spencer walks past Hannah, who was already marking the emergency number.

Due to the storm, the lines were saturated, there were emergencies all over the county, making the lines unavailable. Spencer, not waiting a minute, ran under the rain towards the DiLaurentis house prying for Alison to be still out, or maybe to be wrong about the crushing fear sitting in her chest. She got a glimpse of the garbage, a flash of white and satin peeked out of one garbage bag. Her heart spiked up at the dreading sight, running towards the porch, cruel scenarios already playing rampant in her mind, **_oh_**! and how right she was.

* * *

Elliott was buckling his belt again, Alison, lying limp on the couch, was almost out, shaking, she didn't dare to move, she couldn't.

"You thought that you could have got rid of me like you always did with the others," he looked at her with disdain, hatred, but somehow, lust. "You were so wrong."

Alison peered up at him, it was a dirty look, a DiLaurentis gaze. She put herself together and sat on the couch, feeling an electrifying pain cursing her body, but she didn't care anymore, he stared at her for a moment, at the other, he was looking to his left, with a sore neck and cheek. She had slapped him with all the strength her sore psyche and body could have muster, big mistake. Following that, he grabs her by her neck and threw her against the glass coffee table, Ali's body fell shattering the crystal in a million sharp tiny pieces, blood was now in the carpet, but he didn't care, he kept pushing, kicking, grabbing, hurting. He felt his blood lust sate when Alison was lying unconscious and bloody, barely breathing; he fell exhausted on the couch, the alcohol in his body made him dizzy, making him fall asleep.

* * *

The black _Chevrolet Camaro ZL1_ stopped at the red light, the driver, absorb in the rain pouring down the windshield, was tapping mindlessly the steering wheel.

She was back in Rosewood after eight long years. She hoped with all her might for a sense of unfamiliarity regarding the town, but she couldn't feel more at home. She knew the houses and the trees, bumps in the road and the way the moon shone over the street even though, that night, the moon hid behind storm clouds. She even remembered the houses ahead, she has passed most of her childhood playing in those backyards, fooling around, making bad decisions, the ones that made her life a hot mess, a black hole, a prison. Her senses took her out of her mind when she had to push the brakes to avoid running over someone, a woman, a very familiar one; blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a terrorized face, like a deer caught in the highlights. Hanna Marin was looking right at her, chest heaving and soaking wet after probably seconds under the rain. Without thinking she opened the door and exposed herself to the cold rain and the chilling wind.

"Hanna?"

"Em?" The terror for a second replaced with surprise, but immediately shifted again, her expression was that of contrition. "I- W-we need your help!" said stumbling on herself, "Ali, she's in danger"

Emily's world didn't have the time to fall apart, because her brain was in an adrenaline overdrive by the time Hanna guided her to the back porch of the DiLaurentis's, Spencer was still trying to pick the lock, unsuccessfully, the brunette looked up for a moment when the click of the heels on the wet floor and the heavy steps of the combat boots drawn her attention.

"Em," she gasped in surprise. "Elliott, Ali's fiancé, I-I-I think he hurt her, I hear some glass shattering, and-and I can't pick the lock" Spencer was shaking, maybe by the cold or maybe by the fear, but her brain was set in not even trying to find out.

Under the dim light, the outline of a gun lying by Spencer's side made her brain start function again. Grabbing Spencer by her arm, forcing her up and behind her, she lifted the gun and released the safety lock; taking impulse, her heavy foot collided against the door, the frame and the lock exploded in pieces. The gun went first, her grip was firm and her finger was itching, ready to react in the necessary case, her sight was sharp and her body was in full alert, waiting patiently but undoubtfully prepared to any confrontation; The went pass the kitchen, Hanna and Spencer still behind them, she could hear their heavy respiration almost in the back of her neck. When they reached the lintel of the arch separating the kitchen from the living room, Emily was able to determinate the menace; he was lying on the couch, the back of his head hung loose, he was unarmed and distracted, probably sleeping. Stopping Spencer and Hanna from bolting in the room and thus for taking away their strategic vantage, she looked at their wide eyes and tense expressions. Lifting her finger to her lips, she signaled the feet peaking from the side of the couch, they were naked and small, most likely Allison, and that made her heart beat fast, her grip tight, and her stomach fell to her feet, and yet, she knew she could not lose composure.

Her friends understood the universal signal of stealth because they walked quietly towards Alli while she circled the couch the other way towards the man. He was snoring, sleeping even through her breaking and the chaos from the storm, bruising was forming in his cheek, scratching marks in forearms and face, his clothes were disheveled, tore, the usual tidy living room was trashed; she would recognize the signs of a struggle and most likely assault anywhere. She heard Alison groan, completely soaked in blood, and, unfortunately, he did too. Bolting up, yet unstable, he woke up, but only noticed Spencer and Hanna.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO BITCHES DOING HERE!¡?" He tried to lunge forward, but Emily reacted by approaching behind him and set the tip of the barrel in his head.

"A step further and I will blow your head in pieces."

His body went tense and his arm lifted in what appeared surrender, she was going to reach for the plastics cuff she had in the pocket in her jacket, but he also had plans of his own.

Turning quickly he tried to initiate a wrestle for the gun, but she was fast by taking it away of his reach, instead, the heel of her hand connected against his nose in a rather sickening _crack,_ and, with the momentum, the gun hit his head with a loud _tack_. The man plummeted towards the couch; his chin connected with the backrest of the furniture, rolling down, his body lay unconscious half on the floor, with his knees bend in a praying position, and his torso laying flat, with one hand sprawled and the other contorted under his weight. Emily stared at him for a second, weighing the options, what she should do with him; when she heard it, a gasp, a struggle, and a long whine.

"Emily! Call an ambulance, she-she can't-" Crossing the distance, she kneeled down, Hanna took a step back while Spencer fumbled with Ali's shirt.

"The lines are down, we are in the middle of an emergency," Inhaling, she inspected Alison's naked torso. Her breath was labored, her lips were turning a shade of blue and Emily couldn't think of a cause for it. "Spencer, help me out, she's asphyxiating!"

"I-I." The young Hastings rocked in her knees trying to find a cause, and it wasn't until Alison sputtered a load of blood in a particularly nasty cough, that the reason jumped in her mind like an acid memory. "Pneumothorax! She has a collapsed lung."

"I need a—"Hanna stumbles in the room with a First AID kit in her trembling hands. "A syringe! I need a syringe."

Spencer catches her hand mid-air before she could do anything else, Emily looks towards her with a soft glance. "Emily, what are you doing?"

"We need to release the air inside because if we don't she could suffocate."

Reluctantly, Spencer released her wrist. If she was going to be honest with herself that firm grip was the only reason why her hand wasn't shaking uncontrollably.

"Do whatever you have to do, but please—" Her eyes were blown and welled with tears. "don't let her die."


	2. I Hate That Song

Waking up to the incessant _beeping_ sound of the heart monitor, Alison struggled for a second with her eyelids; it was like they were lead-lined, heavy with pain. Her hoarse throat made her feel as if she swallowed, or rather someone pushed sandpaper down. For the past couple of hours, she has been in and out, drifting between the conscious and unconscious state; hearing things, seeing things, impossible ones, which made her wonder which kind of pain medicine she has been being feed on. Her memory was another thing hard to understand. Her last understandable memory was Elliott barging in her room all drunk and messed up, what came next was hard to put in words and coherent thoughts, so she didn't try. A headache was already starting to form in the base of her head, like being banged repeatedly against a wall. She tried to talk, but the only thing that escaped her was an excuse of noise, a whine. Her awareness of her body was increasing; her arms and legs felt like death weights and she was one hundred percent sure that her inner organs were liquified. _  
_

"Ali" Her throbbing head and the pain in her body was making her lightheaded. Shadow and forms surrounded by white light was the only thing she could distinguish. So she wasn't sure, the voice softly speaking to her sounded a lot like Spencer.

"Thank God you're awake!" The loud squeal procured her a wave of nausea. Hanna, she recognized, held her hand eagerly.

With a groan, she squished Hanna's hand weakly. A soft caress grazed her cheek. She tried to move, to sit really, but her right wrist screamed in pain just as her ribs and back; she voiced her pain in the form of a groan accompanied by a high pitched sound. The pain sent her back down to her lying position while Spencer explained quietly that she has 3 broken ribs, a compound fracture of ulna and radius, with a mild sprain of the muscles of her back, a sprained ankle, a mild traumatic head injury and a fissure in her cheekbone.

"You have been out for the past—" Aria glanced at her wristwatch. She was the only wearing something different at her attire for the wedding. "Thirty-two hours. The doctor said it was normal due to the medication and the head injury." The petite girl takes a seat in the visitor's chair by her bedside. Her small hand closed around her forearm caressing softly, dark circles colored under her eyes. "We were worried."

"Ali," Spencer's tone was soft, almost a whisper, like one of the many secrets the, told each other over the years. "It's necessary to perform a rape kit."

Aria's eyes widened, and Hanna looked away from her. She wasn't capable of looking Spencer either, her eyes were fixed on the white wall directly in front of her bed. Tears made her eyes burn, but she refused to shed a single one. Jaw set stubbornly, turning to Spencer, she nodded sharply.

"Positive." She muttered to them. Aria gasped. Hanna's hands flew to cover her mouth, she was shaking. "The result of the test, I mean." She clarifies.

"I promise you, I'm going to do everything on my power to give that bastard what he deserves."

* * *

 _Her leg whined the moment Alison's weight settle on her body, she didn't care though._

 _"Spencer, where's your car?" She asked standing in the porch. Spencer pointed towards her house, they didn't have time. "I need you to look for Ali's keys."_

 _But Hanna has already thought ahead, and Spencer was pretty much catatonic. They ran towards the car, opening the backdoor, she let Hanna slide in together before putting Ali inside, her head resting on the blonde's lap while Spencer was already sat in the co-pilot seat. Starting the engine, Emily had to remember that the ride has to be as smooth as possible, which made her stop from accelerating like a mad man, still, she was way above the speed limit._

 _The rain still fell against the asphalt while the wheels made the residual water on the road splatter all over at the speed. She took a particularly harsh turn making the back wheels lose friction, they skid slightly, Spencer gasped, Ali muttered something in her unconscious state, which was good, she was not crashing, not yet at least. She stopped in the parking lot, the skid made the tire shriek loudly. She fumbled momentarily with the seatbelt, her hands were trembling and she could feel warm tears falling down her cheeks._

 _Almost limping due to the pain of her leg, she crashed into the ER calling desperately for a doctor, a nurse or whoever listen that could help, Spencer and Hanna tailed her also adding to the racket. Two nurses came running with a gurney. She lay Alison's broken body and on cue when she disappeared from her sight, her leg gave up on her, it was throbbing, and yet, her head didn't exactly register the pain; or at least not that kind of pain._

* * *

The ER room of Rosewood Memorial wasn't entirely unfamiliar to Emily, it has not changed that much in the past eight years she has been away. She has spent her fair share of time in that place, but never under the attentive gaze of a detective, nor with the sight of the long-forgotten blue attire of officer Toby Cavanaugh. The men have arrived a couple of minutes ago and not a single word has to be uttered, except for a polite greeting from the detective towards her, Toby hasn't said anything to her yet, though, she could see how much he wanted too.

"You're Emily Fields, right?" The detective finally spoke, Emily arched her brow at him, then at Toby. "I'm detective Marco Furey, I'm in charge of Miss DiLaurentis case."

"I know who you are, detective, my mother has mentioned you a few times." A firm shake of hands, she went back to her seat, the man stood in front of her, waiting for something.

"Mister Rollins claims that you attacked him, you pointed at him with a gun that we still have yet to find."

The image of her holstering the gun came back to her head. She padded for it in her back, and pulling it, she handed it to the detective who cocked her head. "It's not mine, is registered to the name of Hastings. But I do have a permit to handle and carry a weapon." She pulled her wallet and showed her permit. "And as for the personal damage to mister Rollins, I'm ready to testify that it was to protect my safety and those that accompanied me at the time of the events."

"Very well. I would also like to speak to Miss Hastings and Miss Marin. Do you think they will be willing to me?" The man had a sharp gaze and inquisitive eyes, it was handsome and in some way, remembered physically at her father.

"I can assure you, they will be the first willing to speak to you, but probably not now. But if you approach them after Alison is cleared by the doctors, I think they would willingly regale you with their side of the events." Nodding, the man turned and approached Toby, who whit his intense blue eyes still fixed on her, listened to his partner attentive of what he has to say.

With an obstinate look on her face, Spencer stalked in the room, still perched in her bridesmaid dress but wearing slippers. Her hair messed in a damp tangle of what it probably used to be an intricate hair fashion. Her face didn't have anymore the dark stains of her mascara nor eye shadow, instead, her face was free of makeup but full of concern, and her defacto face for _'I'm pissed, so_ _back the hell off'._ Looking at Toby first, and it surprises her how Spencer just ignores his presence.

"Detective. I hope you are doing everything in your hands to put Elliott Rollins behind bars." The man looked taken aback by the steel of Spencer's voice.

"We are, Mr. Rollins is at this moment in custody. I was talking here with about her participation." Spencer's chin was up, daring.

That aura of maturity that always surrounded her friends was now one of confidence and desition, her eyes could mine away anyone's determination which was what was going on with the detective, he seemed smaller at the lobbyist presence.

"Well detective, you can wait for three _affidavits_ in your office as soon as possible, also, we'll be presenting proves against ." Looking at Toby for a second, and acknowledging him with a nod, her attention and drilling gaze found a new target in her. "Come on, we need to talk."

The detective and the officer were left alone in the ER. She walked behind Spencer. She could notice how tense her shoulders were, the rigidity which she walked gave her reasons to think about what was expecting her next. She stopped abruptly in one empty wall in between what it looked like rooms. Holding herself against the wall, she sighed and looked for the strength within herself to deal with everything that was happening. An overwhelming sense of decontrol settle in her at the presence of her friend, the silence wasn't helping her to keep her mind sane.

"What are you doing in Rosewood, Em?"

"My mother lives here, Spence. What do you think I was doing?" Her voice was low, but the bite didn't past unheard.

"I know for a fact that you haven't set a foot in Rosewood since we left eight years ago. So, why now?"

"I had an accident at work, I'm on medical leave. Had accumulated paid vacation, thought that it'll be good for me to rest."

"And that just happened when, coincidentally, the last of us was leaving town for three weeks." Emily shrugged.

Spencer thought that it will be her the one who would split their group apart, that she will destroy everything they had built in all those years, but surprisingly, it had been easier to stay in touch with her friends, with Hanna in New York, Aria in Boston and Ali in Rosewood, she working in DC, the communication has been fairly good, all of them had built a life on their own. Hanna was a very respect designer, being young and all had the girl already in Milan and Paris, sharing her talent, Aria was a Bestseller writer, she already published her second book part of what she was planning as an extensive saga; Alison, well, the youngest DiLaurentis has given her life a cartwheel turn, she was the beloved English teacher at Rosewood High, but she also was the owner of the 51% of the Carissimi Group and a shareholder in the DiLaurentis Holding Group, and then was Emily. Seven years ago Emily Fields left Rosewood and didn't look back, the UCLA offered her an opportunity, and she had accepted it with no hesitation. Until a day ago, the only new she had received about Emily has been the little things Pam has dropped over the years to Ali. 'She travels a lot' or 'she's a consultant for the government.'

"Coincidence exists, I thought that it was a good opportunity it's that visiting my mother a crime now, your honor?"

"Don't get sarcastic with me, Emily, it doesn't suit you." Emily sights and Spencer let out a shaky breath, the tanned girl look up to the brunette.

Flaring her nostrils and griding her teeth, she clenched her fist. "I don't need to be bossed around, Spencer. I'm not a teenager, I do with my life as I see fit."

Spencer's breathing hitched at the harsh words. Emily stood threatening, she seemed taller and somehow dangerous. Her expression sobered at something.

"I'm sorry." Sighing, Emily leaned back in the wall only to slid down to the floor where she sat with her head tucked in her hands. She looked up after a moment. "I was trying to protect all of you."

"Why?" For the first time, Spencer didn't have any other questions than that one.

"Because we were finally free, and all of you seemed happy, and I was afraid that maybe if we stayed together, _A_ would come back and ruined everything; because every damn time we're together a new problem, a new treat shows up and you weren't separating from each other any time soon so, I think, 'maybe if I step back, maybe I could protect them', and it works, so far, it works"

Spencer followed her suit and sat across her, she bites her lip; coming closer she sat down beside her, her head resting on her shoulder.

"That's not how it works, Em, we are together in this, and being apart just bring us sadness, us, standing together it made us stronger" The swimmer didn't look up, her gaze was stuck in her boots, lonely tears falling down her cheeks, "If you weren't in there last night, if you did not shows, he would have killed Ali, you save her"

Emily has been dreaming of being back with her friends, with her sisters; in the last few years, the memory of her mother, of her friends, of a long-gone father was the only thing that has kept her alive, fighting, hoping. But, as always, her reality was far away too far away from her dreams; her life has never been normal, even if she tried so hard to make it as normal as she could.

"Let's go, Jason send me a message, Ali thought she was hallucinating when she heard your voice."

Emily froze, she tried to move but she was stuck. "You know it's gonna be okay, right?"

Spencer lay a reassuring hand in her shoulder, Emily smirk coyly. The idea of seeing her again, talking again. With any of them really. Yet, the idea of Alison DiLaurentis still made her nights restless and her mornings bitter.

"It isn't." She says matter of factly. "But Let's face the music."

They walked down the hallway to the room, Spencer opened the door slowly; Hanna and Aria where around Alison while Jason was sitting in a chair, staring at his phone unaware of the world. The young Hastings sent a sweet smile at Alison, just to prepare the girl for the sight. The blonde girl has been wondering since she opened her eyes if Emily's voice and presence were just an invention of her mind, and she was finally losing it, or it was something else. The door open even more letting a shy Emily in, giving the girls a timid smile, but the second she laid a foot in the room, Hanna, stand up from her position at Ali's feet and walk through the room, directly at the former swimmer.

"Hi Han, how are you doing?" And she gets an answer...in the form of a searing slap across her face.

Emily grabbed her cheek, and for some reason, the action was unexpected and amusing in a twisted way. She looked back to the rest of the room where the rest of the persons in it were surprised; Jason, who happened to be engrossed in his cell phone seconds before, was looking at the scene wide-eyed; Ali, in the bed, was looking at Hanna and Emily with the same expression than her brother, Spencer and Aria were shaking their heads at Hanna, not in disappointment, but in a way that herself was used to looking at the blonde.

"Well,—" she mused caressing her mistreated cheek, "I guess I deserved that." In an interesting development of the afternoon, Hanna wrapped herself around Emily's neck, the brunette accepted the embrace with gusto, has been a long time since she had this with someone she loved as much as she loved Hanna. Really long time indeed.

It wasn't for a second after than Aria joined the hug, Emily holds the two of them like a lifeline, but her eyes were focused on Alison, her sweet Alison, lying on the bed, bruised, in pain; it was more than she could ever handle, and it has been proved that she could handle a lot. The shorter girls' released her from the hug with red and puffy eyes, the makeup stains in Emily's shirt weren't that visible thanks to the black color of it, but the wet spots, well, those could be seen from the stratosphere.

Walking towards her, their eyes locked in each other, her icy blue with her deep brown. Emily finally could breathe again after eight years in the animated suspension state her life became after she left them behind.

"You weren't a dream"


	3. All The Pain Of Yesterday

The room died at the hands of silence. Hanna and Aria took a step to the side when Emily reached the bedside. Tears pooled Ali's eyes, the went from ice blue to a grey storm of sadness. Without doubt about what to do next, she closed the gap between them. Her eyes reflected all those missed years of tenderness and care, it matched with her worried expression and incommensurable love. Caressing her cheek, whipping away the tear, Emily bent and lay a loving kiss in Alison's forehead.

"I'm not, I'm here and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you anymore, not this time"

"I thought you were a dream—" Looking up, her eyes were so broken, scared. "The c-c-concussion, or maybe I—" Emily sat by her side, Alison snuggled closer, clinging to her like a lifeline. "I thought I was losing my mind."

Emily sighed, it has been eight long years in which she thought that maybe, she could live without them, without _her._ But even if she did had a life, friends and a great job, it wasn't a life without them. And it was heartbreaking seeing all of them in that kind of situation, she thought that they had left all this pain behind, but apparently, destiny had a wicked sense of humor.

"I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." Alison nodded, her head lolling, eyelids falling. "Now, go back to sleep, you need to rest."

Looking up, alarmed, she bites her lip but hissed. "Will you be here when I wake up?"

"I'll be here guarding your dreams."

Alison promptly fell asleep, which gave Spencer, Hanna and Aria time to go, have lunch and clean themselves, while Emily stayed put in the room keeping her promise, but she wasn't alone, Jason stayed there with her, quietly looking at her sister, also guarding her dreams.

"It's been a while." He said at last.

She stared at him. Jason was as good looking as she remembered, and looking closely, she reminded her of Alison and Spencer all the same. "Three years. I heard you're doing okay."

"I am." He was the CEO of the Carissimi Group, a businessman in his own right. "The third-largest holding company in the east coast."

"She missed you."

Her answer was swallowed by the interruption of a knocking door, standing, she opened the door to a doctor. The man was a tall redheaded, sporting a kind smile, he waved at her.

"Good evening, I'm the doctor in charge of Miss DiLaurentis, Curtis McGrath." Allowing him the entrance, the man saw Jason and then at Alison. "Mr. DiLaurentis." He looked back at Emily and tilted his head. "I don't think I have the pleasure."

"I'm Emily Fields, Alison's best friend."

"Nice to meet ya."

Jason stood, shoulders tensed, he seemed suddenly on edge. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, I just wanted to see how she was doing. I heard that she was awake for a couple of minutes."

"She did, no sign of slurred speech or incoherency; she was in pain, of course, but overall she was okay." The man arched a brow, an amused look at her input.

"Do you work in the health sector?"

Sher chuckle, "no sir, but I have a pretty good knowledge of basic health care. I was the first responder." He nodded.

"You attended the pneumothorax." She gave him a sharp nod. "You did a good job, Ms." The man's head snapped and smiled again at Jason, he performed a quick check of vitals and then bid farewell.

Spencer arrived with Hanna minutes after left, they pressed Emily to go to her house and rest, Alison was still pretty much passed out due to the meds. In the end, Jason took her back to the house where her car was still parked; she opened and looked around, her jacket was still in the co-pilot's seat; she opened the trunk for good measure, her case was still there also was her bag, the two, still closed by the padlocks, the glove compartment was also intact, so she made herself into the car, and touching under the sit, she takes the M17 pistol from the holster, still loaded and secure, Emily was ready —Not really— head back home, so she did just that, even if she was scared to death at her mother's reaction. They talked periodically, she knew that she has taken Alison in, checking on her periodically, making sure that she was eating and sleeping properly; and now, the idea of delivering such news, she was worried about her mother's reaction to the state in which Alison was in.

She pulled the car into the driveway, but before she was totally out of the car, Pam Fields was already on the porch, looking at her daughter, it was like watching a mirage; her daughter always was undeniably beautiful, she has inherited the better from their family's heritage, but at that moment, Pam Fields didn't recognize the confident and graceful woman that was walking towards her, wearing a leather jacket and driving a Mustang car, she couldn't see a trace of the shay and the scared girl who came out to her father almost ten years ago. Emily, in the other hand, was having troubles walking towards her childhood house; it was like has traveled back in time, remembering the times that she would put her bike in the garage and run towards the living room where her mother and father were waiting for her, or the times where she has come tired from swim practice and her mother would wait for her with a Kool-Aid and a stack of Hot and Spicy Pringles.

Pam Fields didn't wait for a minute, she ran towards her daughter and embrace her like she would go away the minute that she loosen the grip, the youngest Fields take her mother in her arms and not a second after, the world suddenly come more clear, stable, but above all, safer; because even with the differences and disagreements, her mother would always be her force, the lens that would put on focus her entire world, that would bring her back to reality. And she has to accept a fact, she hasn't been the best daughter after her father's death, she just made it to the funeral because Veronica Hasting called her to remember about the reading of her father's last will. Of course, she remembered so well the day that her mother called her breaking the news, she couldn't forget, it was one of the things that, among others, had taunted her in her dreams.

* * *

 _When she received the news about her scholarship at West Point, she felt relief, her parents didn't need to worry about anything school-related, and she wanted to make them proud; so she worked her ass off through school to reach a point in where she was the best cadet of her year, first of her classes and a top athlete. She has never seen her father so happy, smiling brightly every time they talked or grades were delivered, life was indeed good. Or at least that was what she thought for a while._

 _She was in the middle of a seminar with the Mathematics honor society when her first captain appeared at the door soliciting her presence at the dean of students office Brigadier General Rose Kennish, she had met the woman several times in the past, she went to high school with her mother and they were friends, and Emily was a close friend with her daughter, Gabrielle._

 _"Mam."_

 _"At ease, cadet. Take a seat." The woman signaled the seat across her. The look in her face was somber, making Emily's nervousness rise like boiling water, something sat heavily at the pit of her stomach. "Your mother called me a while ago."_

 _Taken aback, she leaned closer frowning. "It's something wrong? Is she okay? It's dad okay?"_

 _The first two questions passed without a blink, but at the mention of her father, the woman flinched. "It's about dad, is he okay?"  
_

 _Her superior sighed, she had a clenched jaw but soft eyes. Emily had seen that look before, she had learned how to sense awful news coming her way. "Your father's company was out on patrol, they were ambushed. No survivors."_

 _The woman keeps talking, maybe telling her how sorry she was or how her father has died fighting for her country, but Emily wasn't listening, not really. Everything seemed to fade away, the world was blurry; so much that she remembered standing from the chair, walking out of the office, she encountered Roger, her first captain, and Gabrielle; they say words too, but she couldn't hear them. The last thing she remembered was arriving at her quarters and falling sleep._

* * *

"How long are you staying?" Her mom was breathless, her eyes were still puffy and wet for the tears, but a bright smile was illuminating her. Emily couldn't avoid mimicking her enthusiasm.

"I'm going to stay for the summer, I'm on medical leave for three weeks with an extension of my accumulated paid vacation days." Her mother was frowning now, Emily waited a second for her can of Kool-Aid. Pam was biting her lip, eyes wide open.

"Wh-hat happened? Last time I called you said you were fine!" The alarm tone made her flinch, she shook her head.

"And I am. But I was injured by shrapnel, they said it was nothing, but it turned out with a minor bacterial infection. It has been treated and controlled with antibiotics, they want to put the shrapnel out and avoid any future headache."

Pam gasped at her daughter's explanation. After her father's death, Emily's path waivered. She kept studying, working hard to honor her father's memory, but the idea of repeating the story, go out there, fight for her country, and then come back in a coffin, like her father; it made her doubt for a hot second what she wanted to do at the end of the Academy. It was her mother who put the world back in the right light, with the right lens. She made another sacrifice, she was, yet again, willing to share one piece of her heart with the Army.

Standing off of the stool, she surrounded her mother with her arms and laying a soft kiss in her shoulder, she fit herself in the crook of her neck. "I promised you that I would always take care of myself. I would never lie to you like that."

She has been done with lies for a while, she had found herself unable to lie to people she cared.

Nodding, her mother shifted, turning to give her a bright smile and a caress on her cheek. "Have you talk with any of the girls yet? They are in town, because, you know."

She straightens up her back and turns her mother to face her. "Mommy, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it, Em?" She frowns at the severe look in her daughter's face.

"Yesterday, when I was on my way here-" She gulped and held her mother's hand softly. "I found Hanna just outside the DiLaurentis' place," Her mother tilted her head, one eyebrow cocked. "She was looking for help." Pam took a sharp breath, she was going to ask something, but Emily put a finger on her lips. "Please, just hear me out. She and Spencer find out that Alison's ex-fiancé had broken into the house and attacked her." A sob escaped from Pam's lips, the oldest Fields reach for balance in Emily and the kitchen counter.

"Is-she is-she ok? Hanna an-and Spencer, oh my god, Emily!" It was an uncontrollable ramble escaping from the woman's lips.

Cupping her mother's face, she then helped to sit where she had been mere instances ago. "She's okay, some fractures and broken bones, but nothing she can not handle. This is Ali we are talking about. Strong is kind of her middle name."

Containing a gasp, and taking an uneven breath, Pam mussed."That man, I never liked him." Emily hum in agreement, while she was serving her mother a glass of water. "What about him? Where is he? I hope he's in jail."

"Yes, I made sure of it."

"What?" She said with wide eyes. "Emily-" The beginning of an admonition made her chuckle.

"He is in one piece, I did not hurt him if that is what you are thinking." Her mother's sigh of relief made her roll her eyes.

"He certainly deserves a punishment," With a tight smile, she waved her brows at her mom. "A punishment," the comment was laced with a warning undertone, "imparted by the authority."

"Mom, I am the authority-" Pam clicked her tongue.

"The competent authority, Emy."

"I'm competent at my job. I had a ton of medals that proves me right." After chugging her Kool-Aid, she glanced at her mother who rolled her eyes.

Pam flicked her arm and Emily, dramatically, flinched. "Don't be a smartass young lady."

After her mother left for the hospital, because of course, she couldn't let Alison alone. Emily dragged her tired body upstairs to her old room; it hasn't changed a bit, it was like going back in time to 2010, it was so bittersweet, more bitter than sweet, nonetheless, the feeling in her chest was the same one she felt when the welcome to Rosewood signal appeared on her windshield. Dumping her heavy boots beside her nightstand, Emily felt like a dead weight on the mattress of the queen-sized bed; with a last deep breath and a loud sigh, Emily fell into the deepest of the slumbers.

She was at home.

* * *

Two weeks and a half was the time it took for Alison finally snap and demand to be released. And being honest with herself, Emily thought that it would have taken less if it wasn't because she was seriously hurt. She looked better, her body has not completely healed, but she was getting there. She has been complaining a lot about her ribs, and her arm was suspended in a sling, what happened to be the object of her derision. The sprained ankle and back muscles were almost healed, so those were two bullets less to check in the list of things Alison was hating passionately; her doctors were content with her physical rehabilitation. But psychologically, well, that was another story. Deleting that entire night, Alison sustained fiercely that she did not much from that night _(Spencer has called bullshit on that, but she did it quietly on the side not wanting to upset her)._ Her mother still had on speed dial, God only knew why, but the woman was more than happy to make space for Alison in her agenda. Emily recognized the symptoms of PTSD, she had seen a handful of soldiers succumb to the hands of the silent illness, hell, she still struggled with small spaces and dolls crept her out. Jason had to go back to Philadelphia, reluctantly, because Alison also insisted, he left the day before she was discharged. Alison didn't want to go back to her house, it wasn't an option, even if Jason has assured her that every trace of her assailant has been thoroughly erased, Alison could not will herself to go back there, at least not for a while. Even if she knew that sooner rather than later she would have to gather of her might and courage and go back there to face her demons, she was not quite ready, not yet. So, the reasoning conjured in her mind was to stay with one of the girls; The Radley was an option for a while, but the former sanitarium was a fixture in some of her nightmare still, so no, she would not subject herself to such torture. After hearing her ideas, Pam has dismissed every single one of her preoccupations, warm and maternal as always, she has been brushing her hair while telling her that she could stay with her and Emily as long as she wanted. The rest of her friend had agreed with the woman, she was usually at her house, except for her occasional turn on the Police Department, Pam would be at home, she had often wine Saturdays with Veronica, Ashley, and Ella, but with Emily's prolonged stay on the house, she could still relax and not worry like everyone knew she was, because yes, the woman has been by Alison's bedside for as long as she stayed in the hospital, she has to been almost dragged out from the place by her daughter.

The idea of staying with the Fields wasn't bad, she enjoyed a great deal Pam's company, they would talk, and cook and read or virtually anything, and Alison would enjoy it, but there was a big problem, Emily. Since that first day in the hospital, her mermaid hasn't talked to her more than a handful of monosyllabic words. She visits her almost every day with her mother, she would stay silently in the back of the room while the rest hovered over her. When she wasn't at the hospital, Pam and the girls said that she was working on the house, they told her how hard she has been working on it since she has arrived, and Alison wanted to believe that she was the reason for her attitude or lack of thereof, she wanted to believe that she was spent, but that only explained so much. Her visits were constants, she got to see her almost every day, but she was never alone, always accompanied by the girls or her mother, and steadily, avoided solo conversation, not once they had talked apart from whatever innocuous chat she was having with the girls, she only expressed with non-committal sound and short answer. And she was dreading, spiraling over it, _'It's this how is going to be for the next three months?'._ Pam and the girls —except Emily—, drove her to the Fields'. Aria has claimed shotgun with Spencer, they were tailing them in Spencer's _Mercedes-Benz sedan._ She has been sat in the back of Pam's _Hyundai Tucson_ with Hanna riding shotgun with them. The cars parked in front of the Field's household, which looked very different from the last time she saw it three days before the wedding. The grass was freshly cut, sprinklers tha she didn't know existed were on; the facade and porch were freshly painted and the gravel has been repaired, the garage door was free of corrosion and the windows shone under the summer sun.

"Well, all the work paid off." Hanna whistle while struggling to put out her suitcase, it was rather heavy.

"She wanted to be done by the time you were released," Laying her hand on the smell of her back while holding her uninjured arm, they started to walk towards the house. "She even updated the security system." With a side glance, she looked at Hanna. Alison noticed it but decided to hold her thoughts.

Aria and Spencer helped Hanna with her bags while they slowly but steadily walked towards the entrance, she had to assist regularly to respiratory therapy if she wanted to regain her ability to walk more than two steps without asphyxiating.

"Take your time, Ali." Hanna cooed.

Her heart hammered against her ribcage making them whine and hurt, and yet, she couldn't begin to care, not when she was slowly climbing the steps towards her. It was ridiculous, really, her agitation, but it was like her body has taken over making her hands tremble and her stomach tied into knots. When the finally reached the top of the three steps of stairs, Alison could felt her lungs burning, she was so tired and annoyed. When the door opened, she met warm brown eyes and a Banner.

"Welcome Home."


	4. They've Forgiven My Mistakes

_The bedroom door opened and Charlotte looked up from her the book in her lap 'Great Expectations', Ali's favorite._

 _"Ali always loved that book" Emily Fields was standing under the door frame with an indecipherable look, it has been two days since Jason came to break the news about Elliott's attack on Alison. He also told her about the doctor being in ICU thanks to the ex-swimmer._

 _"Indeed, this copy belongs to her, it's the first edition" The blonde sit in the bed facing the desk not so far away, cover in many other books and spreadsheets. Emily gets close to the desk and looks at the work all over it._

 _"Now I know who's the mind behind the Carissimi Group. Don't get me wrong, Ali is a genius in her own right, but her thing is the people, not the numbers." Charlotte was observing the way of moving in the swimmer, how her body has changed for the grace of a competitive swimmer with a bright future, from a different kind of grace._

 _"Why are you here Emily?"_

 _Emily took the chair in front of the desk and sit in it facing Charlotte, the brunette look at her for a moment, analyzing, calculating, trying to figure what has changed from the crazy and disturbed person who looked her and her friends for nearly a month and tortured her in the worst ways possible._

 _"I'm trying to pinpoint what've changed with you" The soldier admit stern. "Alison talks about your progress, how you're doing better"_

 _"So sweet Americano, worrying about my well being" The sarcasm in the older DiLaurentis remind her of Alison, and in some degree, to Spencer._

 _"You wish. Alison wants to plead for you in court, reinsert you in society, she wants us to meet you and made our own minds" The blue-eyed girl sight at the mention of her future lay in the hands of the five girls who hated her the most. "I came here in advance, to try and make an opinion on my own"_

 _"Well, I'm not so hopeful, I think you hate me the most" She crawls back and put her back against the headboard. "At the end of the day, I ruined your future, because if I'm going to be fair, you were a hell of a swimmer"_

 _"My seventeen-year-old self would agree with you. But I don't think I hate you now" Charlotte snap her face to look at Emily looking for a trace of a lie in her. But she only meets honesty. "You tortured us, play with us, make us the worst of ourselves," The Captain assert with rightfulness "But here we are, seven years after. I don't hate you because deep down, even if it's difficult to accept, I don't blame you, instead, I feel sorry for you."_

 _"How's that?" Charlotte leans over interested for the development of the situation. "If I recall right, you still have nightmares, I still taunt you in your dreams"_

 _"Old habits die hard, A still does know everything" Charlotte hums in agreement and Emily chuckle a little. It was like talking to an old friend. if she didn't know so well, she would look forward to a friendship with the older DiLaurentis. "You're right, but I still don't hate you, nor blame you, as many other persons, you're a victim of the circumstances"_

 _"Wich circumstances would those be?"_

 _"You know better Charlotte. And I think that at the end of the day you're like Mona" Emily smile slightly. "You were looking for friends, for a family; and in your own twisted way, you did care for the DiLaurentis'"_

 _"You're such a sap Americano" The older woman rolled her eyes in a surprising, playful annoyance._

 _"I can now let them visit you. " So that's was it about, she was testing her, and, apparently, she did pass. "You don't seem like a bitch anymore, and I hope this isn't an act Charlotte because I own a gun now, and I will shove the gun down your ass and empty the cartridge if you hurt any of them again. "_

 _"Duly noted" Charlotte wasn't scared, but she was aware of the seriousness in Emily's words._

 _"One last thing" Emily looked at her with something in her eyes, compassion, she guesses. "This maybe went smooth, but I can't assure you the same for the others"_

 _"And I'm not expecting anything, but thanks Americano." Emily was about to leave the room when the woman calls her_ out. _"Hey!" The tanned ex-swimmer look over her shoulder. "Jason told me about what you did for Ali. Thank you._

* * *

They work two weeks on therapy with the doctor Sullivan, and, after Emily, the one who takes the risk and goes visit Charlotte was Spencer, the lawyer let room a little shake, it took a lot of Vodka and Bourbon to make Spencer gather the valor to talk about it; then went Hanna, who, after Emily, was the calmer of them all, the visit was clean, in and out. The worst part for them was Aria, the young writer never talked about the Dollhouse, not once, after everything. So it actually took a lot to make it to the point of being in the same room with the person who makes their lives living hells, but, as Emily and Hanna told them; if they could forgive Mona, who was the one that started everything, they could try and give Charlotte a chance to redeem herself.

The two sister join in an embrace, Charlotte went to Ali almost as if the girl was porcelain. Emily was standing out of the scene, looking at everyone, at everything, and Hanna noticed, in the last two weeks she has noticed something off surrounding the girl, something sharp and dangerous, but the feeling was in balance with the unique gentleness of the girl that she used to know. She decides and took a glass and filled with wine, she walks towards her friend. She was engrossed watching the picture, Alison and Charlotte making an small talk with her mother, in the side, Spencer and Aria whispering and glancing at them.

"Want some?" She held the glass with a mischievous grin. Emily glance at her hand to the Kool-Aid can.

"I don't drink anymore Han, but thanks." Hanna let the spare glass in a table again and took a sip from hers.

"When this happens?, because if I don't recall wrong, you were 50% coffee and 50% booze" The two giggle and Emily shook her head in reprove.

"It's call growing up Hanna, you should try someday"

"I am mature!" She exclaims offended. "If I weren't I would never put a foot in the same room as Charlotte, but here I am don't I?"

"Who would guess, seven years later we would be in the same room as the person who took away what it supposed to be the best times of our lives" Hanna's hum get trapped in the while Emily have another gulp from the cherry beverage. "Did you forgive her?" the chocolate-eyed girl look at her friend with a quizzical gaze while the blonde was absorbed look at the two blondes interact with an now less tense Pam Fields. "Charlotte. Did you forgive her?" She clarifies even without looking at her.

Emily's attention was drawn by the interaction between her mother and Ali with Charlotte. Pam looked conflicted, there was this thing about the woman in front of her hurting her child, but also, there was, deep down, the look of a child lost and neglected by her own parents, she has the same broken look, just like Alison's and her own daughter and she couldn't avoid feeling compassion. Alison in the other hand was in joy, her sister was in there, with her, and her friends, doing a gargantuan effort, she has heard about the confrontation between Charlotte and Aria, how bad went, she has been hurt by Aria's words, but that pain was being sooth, the presence of the petite brunette in the room was comforting, was screaming ' _I'm trying because I love you'._

A knock on the door interrupted the chattering, Emily let the can with Hanna and went to the door, outside, the detective Furey, Toby, and another four officers.

"Detective Furey, you again" The man smile at Emily, who then look at Toby, with whom she'd not been able to talk yet.

"Miss Fields, good afternoon. We had information about Miss DiLaurentis being in here, we need to talk to her, it's important" Emily look at Toby and the officer sight.

"It's Rollins Em, he runs away from the police custody in the hospital." Emily takes a deep breath, trying to tranquilize herself and avoid to punch the detective in the face; she took a step aside and let the man come inside, but before he could give a step ahead, Emily put a firm hand in his shoulder.

"I Want to believe, detective, that you did your job and read Alison's psychological evaluation, so please, be careful with whatever you had to say." The man nods and makes his way into the living room. Spencer and Alison stand immediately, the blonde a little too quick, making her bruised ribs stir and hurt, Charlotte took her free hand.

"Emy, what's going on?" Pam and Aria have the same frightened look, Hanna was simply annoyed.

"Mrs. Fields, my respects." The officer nod politely, Toby wave at the girls in the room and gave Charlotte a stern and dirty look. "Sorry for interrupting your afternoon, but I'm bringing bad new. Elliott Rollins, it's now a fugitive of the law, and we're afraid for Miss DiLaurentis' security."

"You let Rollins scape!?" Hanna exclaimed indignantly; the voices with the same feeling gathers around the room.

"We are doing everything in our power to bring Mister Rollins to the justice, but meanwhile, a security detail it's going to protect Alison and Emily" Emily shook her head in reproval.

"I can take care of myself, you can double Alison's security if you want, but I don't want incompetent minion at my shadow" Pam breath out in frustration just like Alison. "Look, you can pout and sight as long as you want, but if something has show RPD in the latest years is how incompetent you are, we are a living proof of that" Furey glance at Charlotte, who mockingly smirk at him sipping from her glass of juice.

"Elliott Rollins is a dangerous man and..." "A dangerous jerk, that you let scape" Spencer blurt with anger.

"Spence-" "Don't Spence me, Toby, RPD keeps showing, even after all these years how incapables are to handle psychos" She look at Charlotte realizing her words and feel the urge to apologize at Alison's gaze. "Sorry"

"None taken. I can agree more if you ask me" The older DiLaurentis answered. "When Jason find out about this, full disclosure, not gonna be happy."

"Can we just calm down for a minute, we need to here Ali out, at the end of the day she's the directly affect by this," Aria calls out a little shaken by the news.

The attention of the room was drawn to Ali immediately, who was spaced out, a lot of that night was just a blur of pain, she couldn't remember a great deal about, but she was sure about the damage courtesy of her ex-fiance. Sometimes, in her dreams, the line between her exile and that night became a blur and her greatest fears become reality, she's not even sure if half of those memories are real or are just mashups of experience.

"Ali" Pam's voice brings her back to reality. "are you okay?" the maternal preoccupation and the soft eyes sooth her.

"No, but I will in the instant you trap that bastard and put him in a forsaken cell and let him rotten for the rest of his miserable life." She states firm, the detective nod and calls his agents inside.

"These are the agents that will be outside this house 24/7, they also would escort you whenever you want to go out, also, officer Cavanaugh offer himself to make rounds three times a day, to make sure that everything is working just fine." She looks at Toby with gratitude and he, with his noble soul, smile at her tenderly. "One last thing, Charlotte need to come with us, the director of Welby ask us to escort her back to the establishment."

"Well detective, lead the way"

After the farewell between the sisters, the other three girls also made their way, letting Pam and the two young girls on their own; Alison, staring at the window, she was watching the squads in the street with an officer keeping tabs on the house like if his depend on it.

"Alison, I'm making dinner, you want something special?" Ali snap back to reality and turning her head at Pam, she smiles slightly, but her smile dropped at the absence of Emily.

"Whatever you made is good for me. Where's Em?" Pam gave her a tender and sad smile, she could feel it too, Emily was avoiding her.

"She's upstairs; you should go and talk to her Ali, you're going to leave under the same roof for a while because, there's no way in hell or heaven that I'm going to be alone in your house with that psycho running rampant" She said with conviction and authority, and she knew how stubborn the woman could be. Like mother, like daughter.

"She doesn't want to talk to me, Pam, and if that is what she wants I can't do anything than respect her desition."

The woman gave her an eye roll in annoyance, she remembered her a young Emily rolling her eyes when someone said something especially stupid; it was most of the time when Hanna make an impertinent intervention with an stupid commentary.

"You two are the most stubborn persons that I ever met, I can't believe you're avoiding each other after everything you've been through"The oldest Fields assert with disbelief.

"She's being stubborn, I'm just trying to avoid further problems like you said; this can get long, I don't want to fight with her, she's just so aghh!"

"I know, she can be like that, but it's just because she can express properly what she's feeling, you know how she tends to shut herself down" Now they were sitting next to each other, the older woman was holding the blonde's hands with tender and such a caring way.

"I don't know her anymore Pam, she's not our Emily anymore, I don't recognize her." The pain and the fear were reflecting through Alison's eyes melt Pam's heart, making her think. _'You're the one, you had to be.'_

 _"_ Believe me when I'm telling you this, that sweet, caring, innocent and dorky girl is still in there, coexisting with this new Emily. She just needs a reason to come back." Pam's soft hands were soothing and warm. "You can be that reason Ali, just talk to her."

With a last smile and a gentle clap on the back, Pam left for the kitchen; Alison stands in the room for a while, just staring at everything and anything, until her eye catches something, a picture. It was all the five girls, in RHS stairs in the last day of school in that summer that change their lives. She put herself together and went upstairs, the hallways of the Fields' house always seems like a travel through time, with pictures of prior days or some achievements. Emily's bedroom door was ajar so, Alison took a step and opened slowly; Emily was sitting in her bed, with her cell phone in her ear, engage in, what it looks like, a deep and thoughtful conversation.

"Do I have to repeat myself twice, Lieutenant?" The stern voice of the brunette was something she never had to hear the force and the power in her voice. "That's what I thought… just keep an eye open Alvarez… yes I will be careful...no I'm not banging anyone!" now was a slightly annoyed and amused tone" "geez you really need a laid, you should the brit girl, I heard she's back on L.A, and you're there too; you could ask her to go home. Just avoid the hookups in the kitchen and my bedroom and we'll be ok." The air has change notoriously, she was relaxed and back to the old Emily. "— Oh, believe me, I will know if you ever touch my bed Hailee, and in the hypothetical case, you won't see never, in your entire career, the end of it."

Alison ended up opening the door by accident, she tripped up in her feets, immediately, almost like a reflex, Emily hang up the call without saying goodbye to the person in the other side of the line; the blonde try to make it everything seems like natural, like she hasn't been spying on her, she was hoping to recur to a long forget state on her, lie, but it was a long gone thing on her, she maybe fail miserably, or maybe, she just get lucky and Emily will not suspect about that she heard the exchange with the girl at the other end of the line.

"Alison, were you listen through the door?"

Collecting herself from the initial stupor, Alison scoff a little and rolled her eyes.

"Please Emily, don't be ridiculous; I was in my way in." Emily arch her brow skeptical, the blonde didn't look like the natural liar from seven years ago.

An incredulity smile and a bite in her down lip came across Emily's face making Alison furrowed her brows in confusion. "I can't believe I'm going to say this but, you're such poor liar Ali"

Alison snort in irritation. "Yeah, and you slowly turn into a jerk but anyone had say anything" Emily's smile widened and the younger DiLaurentis couldn't avoid to roll her eyes. "What's so funny?"

"Why are you so moody at me? I've just trying to keep things at ease, that's all."

"Me, moody at you… right, so you haven't been avoiding this last two weeks." Was Emily's turn to roll her eyes in annoyance.

"Please, don't be ridiculous. I visited you every day, without falling"

Alison's mouth hang offended.

"I'm being ridiculous? You visited, yes; but how many time did you look at me in the eyes?, or talk to me more than 'sorry, I'm busy', you went with the girls and your mother but never on your own, never talked to me in two weeks or six years! It feels like you hate me and— and— I don't know if I can live with myself knowing that you— that you, God, I can't even say it" Alison voice quiver at the end, Emily's eyes softened immediately.

"I don't hate you, Ali, since my father dies I kind of lost myself and it tooks me a lot of time to find a north," the brunette said with her big brown eyes shining by the contained tears. "You and the girls were happy, you were going to get married for pete's sakes! And Hanna engaged with this Jordan guy and— and releasing a collection, a pretty successful collection; Aria it's a best-seller writer, Spencer it's one of the best in whatever the hell she is doing at the freaking Congress!" Emily sight in exhaustion, trying to control herself from yelling at the girl. "I was just a shadow from the girl you used to know, broken, and for experience, I know that broken girls are just a burden, so I had to rebuild myself before I could face any of you." The defeated tone, sad, so sad; Alison regretted her outburst and selfishness, again, making everything about herself.

"I'm— I'm sorry Em, I didn't knew, your mother never told me."

"That's my point Ali, anyone knew, not even her. I was ashamed of my cowardness, I didn't show for my own father's service, abandoned my mother when she more needed me, and I give up on us, our friendship, I tell myself that it was because I was trying to look after all of you, that maybe, if we keep apart, the history would never repeat again."

The young Fields sits in the bed with her eyes still in Alison, the blonde follow her lead sitting in front of her, listening with attention, trying to look down the knew Emily, searching for the girl that she used to know, the sweet and caring swimmer, fierce but gentle, brave but timid, all of that, wrapped in a beautiful exterior. She did missed the girl like a crazy; she missed her the two years she spent rogue, missed her when Charlotte kidnapped her, and definitely, missed in the last six years.

"But being honest to myself, I was afraid of facing my mistakes, so, when I was clear to vacation, a planned everything trying to avoid everyone I used to know, it was going to be three months just hanging around, maybe I would visit Toby or something." And suddenly everything came into perspective, why she was arriving so late to Rosewood that night, why Hanna said that her encounter with the girl has been such a luck.

"You were trying to avoid all of us, that's why you show after the wedding." Emily nodded a little ashamed, she was willing to lose such a groundbreaking moment to Alison on behalf of protecting herself from a facing her friends, or the blonde for what it matter.

"That and, because I wasn't thrilled about you getting married with that prick."

With a little chuckle, Alison reached for Emily's hand, the brunette, in answer, intertwined their fingers in a tender act, something that she used to do a lot to put at ease the 'bitchy Alison', and until that moment, she hadn't realized how much she has craved Alison's flawless skin, warm at the contact, a very familiar one, which was able to make melt and crave for more. The room fell in a comfortable silence, they were just holding their hands, looking into each other eyes, blue melting with chocolate after so long; and, after a long time, Emily finally found peace with her past.


	5. If You Ever Lost a Life Before

**_If You Ever Lost a Life Before (This one's For You)_**

At nine in the morning, Pam Fields was long gone to the grocery, so, Emily, taking advantage of an sleeping Alison and sneak out into the mansard, it was merely a reconnaissance; she wasn't entirely sure if her mother still pick her father's guns in the security box or, if, she just sold them after his death.

The last time she ever open that vault, was after the dollhouse, she had figured out the password, but then, her mother has changed it, so, that means she has either figure the code or, break-in; and the later one was rude and disrespectful, but, there she was, with a technician in the phone, overdriving the lock.

"Are you sure my mother is not going to notice it?" She asks while uncovering the wires.

" _Theoretically, yes, I don't know if you're good at it_ "

For some reason it did work.

"I'm never going to leave alone with my stuff"

" _Are you kidding? You're the one who can pick twenty different kinds of locks blindfolded"_ Emily scoff a little while she opened the vault and reach for the three guns that were hidden inside.

"Yeah, well, You can hack a server at the other side of the Atlantic in two minutes, so you kind of win" A soft hum of thoughtfulness gave her the victory of the bickering.

Her father never was a violent man, by any means — very paradoxical if anyone ask her—, but still, he always said, " _No one can really be prepared enough",_ so, keeping two _Colt.22_ and a shotgun _Mossberg 930_ was just a precaution measure taken by the Colonel; and he really take seriously the presence of the latest in his house, he teach his wife and daughter how to be safe and how to use those, because yes, when Emily Fields was eleven the girl was already in a shooting range aiming targets and learning how to defend herself, and after _A,_ her dread only became bigger and real, so, in the last seven years, she had taken her personal security very serious, deadly.

" _You should ask your mother you know? Maybe she will be more flexible since you're 24 already"_ Emily make sure that every lock in every weapon was enhanced to carry the three down to the garage.

"Please, my mother thinks I'm still sixteen years old and hand me like I'm some kind of porcelain doll" Three years ago the word 'doll' make her want to crawl out of her skin, so it took a lot of time and self-care to make that go away.

" _Well, you still act as a sixteen years old girl, so, I maybe don't differ much from her"_

She rolled her eyes in annoyance meanwhile lies the weapons in an old counter in the garage that her father used to use to work in-house stuff; it was a weird image, she was focused dismounting the weapons while talking through a cordless Bluetooth headset, with her phone in her sweatpants' pocket, a nice sweater, and slippers.

"I spent the most part of my teenage years sorting out two super sensitive psychopaths, I'm in my own right to act like sixteen years old for what it matters"

On the table, the gun cleaning kit and four fire guns were lying waiting to dismount. The first was her own, _M1911,_ she was able to dismount it in almost 10 seconds, and she knew the gun as the palm of her hand, so, dutifully, Emily clean every piece with especial neatness while heard Hailee ramble about the sweet Brit counterintelligence Lieutenant. Emily and Hailee meet when the Captain was a Lieutenant and Hailee was just a seventeen years old girl in the Academy; begin the kid of a Catholic family, and a long line of soldiers, born girl was not ideal for Hailee, even more, having all Hailee capabilities, — An honest to God genius—, the young girl enroll herself after ending her time in the MIT, why, she didn't understand at the time they met, but after a lot of talk, — and some tears —, she understands how similar their lives were; Emily, without wanting, create a bond with the girl, that they ended up purchasing together a modest loft in Westwood, very close to her Alma Mater.

" _Well, yes maybe, but, still, sometimes you're annoying af"_ Before she could come with a retort, a cruiser pull in front of her house, Toby Cavanaugh descend from it in his neat blue attire.

"I had to hang up legacy, call you later?" She asks meanwhile take the phone from her pocket, looking askance at Toby who was talking with the officer in turn.

"You better, talk you later boss"

The line dies at the same time that Toby came to pass her car parked in the driveway, the officer gave the vehicle a glance and then keep with his way towards his teenage Best friend. Emily always was conscious of how handsome was Toby, but definitely, the years didn't make justice to the resident mysterious boy of Rosewood.

"Good morning Em" and there it was, Emily always asks how such a strong look guy could sound so gentle.

"Hi, Toby, or, should I address you as officer Cavanaugh now?" She was joking, of course, because she knew that he never would ask such a thing.

"Please, I think you know me better than that"

"Of course I know you better than that Toby." She chuckled.

"Yeah… You look like you know what you doing, half of my partners barely know how to clean theirs properly." He pointed at the care on Emily movements, as if was rehearsed.

"Well, my father surely knew what he was doing, I'm just emulating his actions.

The officer wondered around the table watching attentively how his best friend manages around the weapons, how firm and secure look about what she was doing; cleaning thoughtfully, with care, the care that just someone with experience will have, almost like she has been doing it her entire life. She mounts the gun back again, Toby leaned and point the gun.

"May I?" Emily handed the gun with a smirk.

"By all mean" Toby inspect the gun with detail. Was light, comfortable, even more than his issue _Glock 17 Gen4_ , he knew this one, in the academy, they were introduced to the guns that were used for the U.S armed force, and the one in his hand, was used exclusively by the _Special Operation Forces_.

"I didn't know about your father being Spec Ops." Emily looks up from her hands and smile, again, softly at her best friend.

"You know he wasn't Toby" Leaving the brush in her hand, Emily take a rag from the table and clean her hands. "I don't know what teach the police in that academy of yours, but you need a new stealth teacher. What you want to ask about the background check that your boss assigned you?"

The carpenter sight heavily, he has been caught by the girl, well, the captain; because he has read her file with detail attention and surprise; when they were kids, Emily spent the most part, — every part, — of her adolescence lying, she was the worst lier out of her group of friends; but in the current days, she was lying to everyone without a flinch.

"He didn't assign me the background check by myself to prove him that you're the same transparent girl that I used to know."

"So, You're here for an explanation or a reason to not tell your boss about me lying?" If she was nervous or affected, her face or any of her body language gave him the way, training he guessed.

"No, Em, I'm here because I worried about you; Did any of the girl knows?" Emily scoff and then shook her head.

"Are you insane? Of course not, I'm not suicide!"

Emily's work was the definition of dangerous, if someday, someone looks up in a dictionary about the definition of drop dead dangerous, " _Captain of the U.S Army"_ Was maybe in the examples below of the definition.

"And because I want to believe I know you, going to suppose that your mother doesn't know either" Another strong sight came out when Emily shrugged, they all believe that the young Fields was a Biologist in the _Salk Institute_ , and maybe, in the past, she did have the offer to join to the said, but she took a different path. "You can't keep them in the dark for so long Emily, I don't know what are you up too in your job, most of the files were censored by the way," he said like it was hazardous, "but you need to tell them before anyone else or anything else take a head over you"

"I know, I know," she answers tiredly, "I tried but, how I'm going to tell them that I've been lying for the past four years? My mother is going to kill me, bury me and then dig me up and kill me again, and don't make me start with Spencer, I'm not going to hear the end of it."

"Maybe, but they will do all that because they love you and worried about you, I have seen those girls the last seven summers mourning you like you've died, I think you owe them that much Em" She groan defeated and Toby chuckle at loud action, he came closer a wrapped the shorter brunette, who again, accepted craving some non-lethal contact.

"I'm dying!" Her voice came muffled due to having her face buried in Toby's shoulder.

"No you're not, but you're screw, that you are"

"Gee Toby, thanks."

A fit of uncontrollable giggles unravels between the two friends as if the time hasn't passed like they were still just two young hearts.

* * *

The reasons for Alison to wake up cover in a layer of sweat and panting heavily were blurry, she couldn't remember most of the nightmare, but she does could still feel the dread and terror, the fear in the tip of her tongue, the sensation that something has been ripped from her merciless, that Elliott has taken something away from her but she didn't know what, and that was killing her.

She made her way to the kitchen slowly, and in the middle of the descent for the stairs, Emily came from the main door, she was focused on her phone, texting someone, or at least that's what she thought; the house's windows were wide open, filling the room with natural glow of the morning sun, and under that natural light, Alison could depict every single change in Emily: How her long hair fall down strong and elegant shoulders, how her features were strong and firm but still, somehow, gentle. The show before her when Emily, in a moment of distraction, and in the middle of the living room, — A habit that Pam remembered inherited by her father, " _an annoying one"_ the women tell her once, — stripped her sweater; Alison's air get caught in her throat at the sight of so much skin, she suddenly forgot how to breathe, how to think, how to exist.

"Hey, Ali, good morning!" Emily's voice brings her back from her lethargy, the girl was facing her, looking at her from downstairs, in a black sports top, she was doomed. It took her some time to process the greeting, she had short-circuited.

"Good morning Em, what are you doing up so early?" She made her descend slowly, she said herself that it was for avoiding hurt her bruised body, but very deep, she knew that it was just bullshit.

"It's 10:15 Ali, it's almost brunch time", She said a little taken aback by the distracted blonde. "Ali, are you okay?" Alison was so engrossed checking Emily out to care how the brunette noticed. "Alison!" the former swimmer snapped at the teacher comically making the girl jump in her place and looking back at the girls face, she meets a smug smirk and an arched eyebrow. "See something you like Ali D?" The smirk now was accompanied by a lower lip biting.

Alison's face was now red as the coat she used to wear, the read spread down her neck, and Emily's eyes and eyes start wondering; the Captain close the gap between them, now they were close, face to face and boldly, Emily lean down, her lips rosed Alison's cheek when she talked.

"You have something to eat in the kitchen counter, I'm going to take a shower" With that, Emily kissed gently Ali's cheek, the closeness, the electricity, her smell, the implying' comment at the end let her craving and aching, and also, activate some memories that felt from ages ago.

* * *

 _Emily loathes math with everything she got, it was the only subject that was below 96. The latest inform math was a black stain, — 74, — and she didn't get it, she has outstanding grades in Physics and Chemistry, subjects that require a lot of math, but there she was, sulking about her grads while Spencer and Aria were trying to cheer her up._

" _Come on Em, you had the fourth highest GPA of our class, it isn't that bad" The petite earned a grateful look from the taller one._

" _Yeah Em, but if it bothers you this much, maybe you can ask for a tutor, I will do it myself by my hands are full right now" Spencer gave her a sympathetic look at her friend, but before Emily could thank the girl, a storm of chocolate, cinnamon and gold sit by their side with a wide and mischievous grin._

" _Hey, girls, what's going on? You look like someone has died" Emily's headache skyrocketed at the sound of Alison's voice._

 _Usually, Alison's presence was warm, soothing, Emily craved to be close to her, but, after the Halloween party, being near the Queen Bee of RHS just make her, somehow, nervous and upset, so she has been in a plan of two weeks of avoiding Alison, and, sadly, her friends for that matter._

" _Emily is having an existential crisis, she's messing up in math" Aria explain to the blonde, who looks back at her friend in a curious way._

" _I can help you with that" Of course Alison can, she was the third best GPA in their class, but the trouble was that Emily was in an avoidance mission, and having the girl as a tutor will make the opposite effect._

" _You don't have to, I can make through it on my own" The distress look pass among the girls unnoticed, or at least that was she thought._

 _But Alison did notice, indeed, she notices how Emily has been avoiding her since the Halloween incident with Jenna, she may have pushed too hard, but Emily was the only person that keeps her grounded, so it was unacceptable Emily's behavior in her eyes._

" _Come on Em, you need the help and Ali's offering, she has a very good grade in math despite how much Mrs. Connelly hate her" Alison scoff at the comment, of course, she would bring that up, as always. She decided not to say anything though, Emily was apprehensive enough for her to scare her._

" _That's true, she is like very good at math," Hanna supported, "you should let her help you."_

 _Emily sight in exhaustion, she knew her friends worried about her, and how could she say no? besides, she did need all the help she could help if she wanted to keep her GPA as the fourth best, also, she couldn't stand her mother's antics about how she needed to put her efforts and energy in school and the swim practices if she wanted to go to a good college, — even if college was two years ahead,—_

" _Fine, what time you had free this week?"_

 _That same week, on Thursday, Emily went down from practice directly to the DiLaurentis Household, she even took a short way, she wanted to get over it quickly, make it less painful ripping the band-aid immediately. When she made it into the driveway, neither of Ali's parent's car was in the place, so she just supposed that they were to be alone, nice, she thought sighting at her luck._

 _Grabbing her backpack strap firmly, she gathered all her bravado and rang the doorbell and waits, not so long after, steps were heard, heavy steps, way to heavy for being Alison's. A mass of golden hair, pale skin, almost livid, hollow and sad blue eyes was what she meets when the door open, it was Alison's oldest brother, Jason, the antithesis of everything that the compose and glamorous DiLaurentis family stand for._

 _"Alison is upstairs" was the only thing he said after he turns his back on her and started to walk away._

 _Emily made her way in, she, instantaneously felt the non-climate cold ambiance in the place, it was all too perfect and collect, very different to her own house where her mother always is scolding her father every time he was with them because he used to take his shirt and boots in the dining room and let them laying around, a habit that Emily had adopted herself; or her other's friends houses, those were messy sometimes, but not the DiLaurentis, they didn't do messy. She closed the door and started to walk down the living room, yet again she got the creeps at one of the most antique houses in town._

 _But out of everything in there, the less creepy thing was the great Steinway Parlor grand piano; she remembered Ali playing for her, it was one of her most precious memories, she even can remember how the room smell that day, — like cinnamon and wet dirty, it was raining.— She snapped out and keep walking away_ _from the living upstairs directly to Ali's bedroom. As always, the place was neat and clean, organized meticulously; Emily knew about this begin one of the ways to keep everything under her undoubtedly control._

 _She sighs deeply while wondering around the room, "What I'm supposed to do with you,_ Queen _?" She_ asks _at the air wholeheartedly. But her insight moment was interrupted by a loud smack and a pump in the bathroom down the hallway._

 _"Ali!?" She asked halfway in, almost standing at the door. "Are you ok? Ali!?" Without_ an answer _, she_ collects _valor and opened the bathroom door. "Jesus Christ, Alison!"_

 _She_ runs _at her side, the blonde girl was lying on the shower floor, she saw how little drops of what it seems like blood were clear in the water leftover in the floor. Emily kneeled and grab Alison by the waist and one of her arms to have her equilibrium, the towel_ loosen _in their way up, and when_ there _were finally up, Ali hissed loudly in pain and Emily's breath_ caught _in her throat, the towel fall completely letting the girl bare in front of her; the blonde's cheeks were heated in a crimson red by the embarrassment and the swimmer was trying not to look, but having Alison DiLaurentis naked and leaned on her, her mind was clouded, almost forgetting about how uncomfortable was the situation._

 _"I think my ankle is hurt." She said in a soft voice. Emily, like a_ soldier _, was observing the tiles in her line of vision, way above of where Alison was._

 _"Yes, your hurt and naked so, take_ off _my jacket, I will turn and you can use me as a crutch" Alison nodded slightly, her hands sneak inside the jacket and up to her shoulders._

 _She_ turns _her back slowly, Alison clumsily put the jacket on, she watched closely, it was a letterman jacket from the varsity swim of RHS, the Fields in the chest gave her the way, Emily has been accepted in the varsity team and she missed it._

 _"Can you walk?" Emily_ tells _her quietly, she could_ say _that almost was stern._

 _"I don't think so" Without a word, Alison gasped when Emily lifted her like a groom would make to a bride._

 _She put her_ on _the bed and turn her back and walk away into the bathroom searching for the first-aid kit, Alison took advantage and, take the undergarment that she has_ prepared _, it was lying in the left side, so she just had to lean back and take it; she put it on quickly, the situation was beyond embarrassing, and the worst thing that Emily was so uncomfortable. Emily came back with the aid kit, Alison was gripping firmly the letterman over her naked body, for the first time she wasn't sure of everything underneath._

 _"I'm going to touch it ok? If it hurts tell me,"_ she _asks meanwhile take the bandage and a tube of ketoprofen._

 _Emily's hands were soft, gentle, but still, Alison_ groans _when her hands touch around her ankle. "That totally hurts" exclaimed with a_ strangled _voice._

 _"You sprained your ankle, but don't worry, some rest and ice will make the trick" She spread the ointment slowly, making slight pressure around the ankle. The warm of her hands were making Alison feel uneasy, a heavy and warm sensation was now in her lower abdomen, and the hell if she doesn't_ know _about how the brunette_ makes _her feel._

 _It took just a couple of minutes for Emily to finish the massage and_ wrapped _carefully the bandage in the youngest girl ankle. "It's done, I'm going to let you change_ now _if you need me I'm waiting outside"_

 _It was almost dark outside and the_ silence _in the room was deafening, the had_ kept _the afternoon purely business, Ali was now with her back leaned in the headboard and Emily was laying on her belly with her notebook and math guide in front, the book was open in the page of the quadratic equation theme, the one that was giving Emily_ a headache _. The girl was quiet, no jokes nor laughs, just nods and short answers; and that was eating her alive._

 _"_ Em _," Ali calls, no answer. "Emi" again, silence. "Emily!" She snapped._

 _"What Ali?" Not even a look, just_ a stern _answer._

 _"Are you mad at me?" It was like a child asking her mother if she was mad, somehow, Emily, in her snarkiness thought about how shy could Ali be when it comes to_ apologizing _._

 _"I don't know Ali, should I be mad at you?" She asks, again not leaving the book, she knew_ that _in the minute she laid her eyes on Ali's blue ones, she would be melted and giving up again._

 _If any other person talked Alison like that, he would earn_ a venomous _look and a sharp answer, but yet again, this was her Emily, she could compare the beautiful mermaid with her with everyone else. Shyly and carefully to not hurt her ankle, Alison crawled until she was lying entirely over Emily's back, something that she used to do anytime they were doing something as homework or studying and she_ gets _bored; Em tensed up and her breathe pitch in her throat and it wasn't because of Ali's familiar weight in her back, it was because of the_ warmth _of her skin, the soft pressure of her breast against her back, her cinnamon and vanilla scent. She felt Alison's slender fingers moving her hair and then, out of the blue, started to nuzzle the exposed side of her neck._

 _"Ali, what are you doing?" She tried, lords knows, but_ at _that moment, Alis's closeness was intoxicating._

 _"Please Em, I can't stand you begin mad at me, not you" she sounded so vulnerable, something so odd and knew and addicting._

 _But her_ self-control _and confident fly out of the window when Ali's soft and enticing lips make contact with the skin on her neck, and God forbid, Emily was about to lose control_.

* * *

Emily went lose the rest of the day until it was almost dinner, when she appeared back in the while Alison was trying to coarse Pam to let her help to cook, but, like mother like daughter, the older Fields was adamant in making Ali rest and not letting her move a muscle until the doctor says otherwise. Emily was genuinely amused, it was common knowledge that Pam and Alison were too stubborn to accept anything that they were defending adamantly.

"Emily, sweetie, could you please set the table?" Emily nodded and Alison groaned.

"Come, Ali, don't be such a kid," she said mocking, "let's set the table"

So they did, quietly, they just placed one glass for wine since neither Ali nor Em was drinking alcohol, and that, maybe, was one of the worst restrictions due to the painkillers Ali was drinking. One handed, the once graceful and careful Alison was gone, and a clumsy and rough movement almost knocked a glass of water.

"Agh!" The teacher groaned in exasperation, "This fucking sling can be damned!" she snarls taking almost violently the thing.

"Ali, come on you need to be patient and careful" Emily scolded taking the sling from the floor.

Ali's cast was signed by everyone who visits her in that week; the girls, Pam, Ella, and even Veronica, but not Emily, she has passed the tradition and just ignored Hanna when she asked her to sign that day, and Ali notice, because she always noticed Emily and, the distant weeks haven't passed fully yet, she still was walking around like a ghost, barely showing in the entire day doing whatever she was on it in the last few days.

"I don't care a shit about carefulness, it can be damned if you ask me" The sapphire eyes were shining with obstination and fierce.

"Yeah well, I'm not asking you; and stop cursing! If my mom hears you, we will be going to get a lecture about 'how a lady can't be cursing around'" she reprimands meanwhile she came closer to the girl to help her to put the sling again.

"You're 24-year-old Em, you can curse a little from time to time, and it's not like you don't spend your last two years in school cursing more than a sailor." Em's head tilted and her face let out a goofy grin and a defeated nod.

"Ok, yes but," she made the exception unyielding "but, never did it in front of my mother"

"You never did what in front of me honey?" Ali's shit-eating grin gave her Emily the way, she was on her own now when her mother came from the kitchen with a tray.

"Nothing!" She exclaimed. "Table is set!" Emily hasn't seen the dinner until that moment, Lumpias, her mother has made Lumpias, her's and Wayne's favorite food. "Christ mom, are you looking to killing me?" She squealed excitedly.

"I think that maybe it will be nice you know, it's been a long time since…" She stopped and breathed shakily. "I cook for someone else, so, I want to treat you two tonight."

Emily feel the pang of guilt, of course, she has left her mother alone at the moment she needed her the most, she acted like a selfish brat, thinking just about her own pain and she never thought about her mother; those days were about her losing her father, but in her mind never came the idea, this women has lost her husband, her friend, her everything. And she was adamant in making up to her.

"Well, don't worry about it mom, my new year resolution it's to stop being a crappy daughter and come to visit my mother like a good girl so" It was in a mocking tone but she'll be damned if she didn't do it.

Emily opened the chairs for her mother and Ali with chivalry, Pam and Ali gave each other meaningful and pleasantly surprised looks, they didn't even notice when Emily went to the kitchen and came bearing a bottle of wine, Chianti, from Arezzo, in Italy. She brings it from one of her work trips. It's from 2007, a very important date for her.

Placing the two other glasses that she has brought in the table she smiled at the women.

"I went to Italy last month before coming to Rosewood, and…" she poured generous quantities in each glass and then place the bottle in the center of the table. "Bring this beauty, I was going to keep it for an extra special moment, and, I think this is that moment."

"I thought you don't drink anymore," Ali said as little taken aback.

"And I barely do it anymore, but when the situation is special like this, I can't avoid it, I'm grateful and I want to make a toast" Pam smile warmly, full with pride and so much love for these girls sitting with her in the table.

"What about my med?" Ali asks a little hesitant, she didn't want to create undesirable effects on herself.

"Don't worry, I call a friend of mine, she said that just one glass of wine wasn't going to hurt, so, toast," the brunette put her glass up and the other to women mimicking her movement, "to family, to time and forgiveness, cheers" It was a weird toast, but Ñsomehow accurate, so they make the toast and drink a little before starting to eat peacefully.

The dinner went smoothly, laughs and inner jokes were said, until dessert, Pam was serving it when Emily's phone starts to chime, she had heard that song for sure, MTV maybe.

"Emily, the phone sweetie" Emily groan, she hasn't seen the name of the person, it was like she has set the ringtone for this person.

The picture of the screen was from a girl, with golden caramel skin, hot whiskey eyes full lips and an innocent look that makes you trust immediately. Legacy, it says in caller ID.

"Mom, please, it's important" She makes eyes to her mother and pout like a little girl, it was enough for Pam to sight and nod.

She answers it with a stern 'Fields', even, the girl stands from the chair and walks away, and that was another odd thing, she never answers phone calls close, always out of their ears. She didn't last too long, but her head was still buried in the phone.

"Hanna is asking if you want to come to the Radley, she's already with Spencer and Aria."

"No, I'm genuinely tired so, I'm staying, go and get some fun" Emily smiled softly and take her jacket from the sofa, she comes closer to Ali and lean down kissing her cheek softly.

"Try to get some rest, I know you're having nightmares. And if you found too hard fall asleep, I'm just a call away" With a last soft kiss in the head, she went to the kitchen and say her farewell to her mother.

Ali sight and went to the kitchen and found Pam preparing for washing the dishes.

"Better let me help you there Pam, or I'll be genuinely upset"

After checking with the security detail, letting her number with them in case of something unexpected happen that maybe need her attention; either way, she wasn't going out unprotected either, concealed in her jeans, her personal gun was standing, prepared to be used in extreme situation.

She was at 5 minutes away from the Radley when the speaker blare announcing the incoming call, so, very dutifully, she answer the phone, which was connected to the system of the car.

"Ok Legacy, now, what you were complaining about?" Hailee has call rambling about something, she didn't quite hear what because the girl was talking too fast, such thing she only did when she was furious, nervous or sad.

"The big brother let me out!" She exclaimed offended, of course, she would be.

"Yeah well, you know how is he, you should be accustomed to him already"a scoff and a mumbled curse. "It will be just a short time, meanwhile, just take it easy"

"You should know, take it easy it's not something I can do...well, you know, easy!"

Of course, she couldn't, Hailee, in a normal day, maybe think over 10 times more than a normal human and in a million miles per hour. So no, she didn't do easily never.

"But you have to, you know the rules, without your supervisor close you can't do much, and it happens that I'm your supervisor and, another detail sweetie, you're in California, they're in Afghanistan"

"That's not an excuse! I could have to take the plane with them when they leave, but no, he was adamant about me begin unsupervised, big brother is unfair"

Emily chuckles slightly at the nickname, the Brigadier General Reginald Kastenbaum, head of the Military Intelligence and Security Command, the man took Emily under his wing when she decided to join the Counterintelligence team. So yes, that was the truth, Emily Fields is the Senior Counterintelligence agent accompanying the Regimental Reconnaissance Company of the Army Rangers; it hasn't been easy to hide a thing like that, but she handled it just fine in the last few years.

"You should be resting, when my medical handicap ends, we're going back to Kabul, so try and enjoy your vacations" She heard the chewing and the familiar noise of the snack bags, cheerios perhaps.

"Yeah, how's that going, when is the surgery?" She let go and exhalation whilst the car turn in the crossroad between Pascal St. and Michigan Ave. "I talk with Mina last night, she said you call her, something about wine?" the concern ongoing in the other girl's voice was notorious, Emily scarcely drinks, maybe a few sips from a champagne flute in a fancy event, but that's it.

"It wasn't for me, it was for Ali, I drank too, so… and answering the question, I'll be in OR two Fridays from today."

"Well, I wish all the luck Capt, I will praying to the _Virgen del Carmen_ for your recovery" guffaw with carefreeness, of course, she would commend her health to the all mighty Virgen del Carmen, the Colombian-American girl was devoted to the religion of her maternal ancestor. It was, somehow a relief for Emily, at least the girl has enough faith for the both of them.

"I hope she still had me in the good girl list, I haven't set a foot inside a church in years" after the dollhouse, she clarifies to herself.

She heard the chewing sound again and a loud snort, "She's the Virgin Mary", the brunette replies with a mouthful of Cheerios, "not Santa Clause"

Emily crack again meanwhile she park in between Aria and Spencer's cars "Whatever you said Legacy, whatever you say! I've gotta go, call you later"

"Take care boss"

"Always"

The bar at the Radley was crowded, it was Friday night, so the currency of people was high, so, her sense heightened immediately she made through reception. Emily has the eyesight of a hawk, able to aim targets from 1.085 meters with an M24 — was her most recent mark—, her peripheral vision was able to give her a clear sight of the most part of the bar, even the people out of her direct line of vision, also, her ear caught the distinct sounds of the blenders begin shaken by the bartenders, or the whispers of the consumers, the clinks of the glasses and the constant whoosh! of the AC. She has been trained to identified patrons of conduct, outsmart the most dangerous psychopaths in the world, to think outside the box; and all those abilities collected in all those years were screaming something, a warning alert.

* * *

Sirens blaring, _**wiu, wiu, wiu!**_. Skidding wheels. Distressed rumors. The 3rd-grade detective Lorenzo Calderón and senior Officer Toby Cavanaugh get the call early in the morning, around six, to assist at a crime scene in the outskirts of Rosewood. Toby knew that road very well when he saw the two old metal doors wide open, he was suspicious.

the 1st grade detective Marco Furey was waiting for them outside the doors, he has arrived at the scene a couple of minutes ago, so he decided that it will be better to wait for his two partners, besides, they two new better the place than him, because, of course, he had read the story of the greatest urban legend of Rosewood, A's Dollhouse. He has already met six of the eight girls involved in the scheme, one of them begin the perpetrator, but it looks the things were already water under the bridge. They start to walk down the intricates hallways of the lair, Toby never has gathered the courage to explore the place, the things he knows are because of Spencer and Emily's vague retails, the girls never have talked about the dollhouse in detail, Lieutenant Tanner has sent a team to disassemble the place, but, even with the fire, said couldn't pass the first couple of rooms due to the debris and the traps set all over the ramshackle place. They keep walking a stumbling with the remains of the inferno, the smell of dirt, wet mud and corrosion; they also could hear it, it could feel the pain all over the walls, the echoes of the screams still trapped in the walls, corners, and hallways.

The made it to, what it looks like, the main room. Anyone have time to look around, because the main show was in the center of the said room. Gold and long curly hair, sapphire blue eyes, —family heritage, — Charlotte DiLaurentis was there, with her eyes wide open, static, cold, dead.


	6. Another Day, Another Dawn

**_Rosewood Police Department_**

 _ **9:35 pm**_

 _ **Two days after Charlotte DiLaurentis Murder**_

"Don't do this harder than it is miss Fields. We just want to know, where were you the night that Charlotte DiLaurentis was killed?" Emily was handcuffed at the table of the interrogation room in RPD precinct, they have been there for over 45 minutes, but Detective Fury has only received one answer.

"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury…" The man was starting to lose patience, he was filled with the woman's profession, a Captain of the US army not less.

"Well, miss Fields, if you're not willing to cooperate, maybe I just have to keep pushing until one of your friends break, they maybe are more, cooperative than you"

The flash of the small frame leaving the place make her squirm uncomfortable, the man arch a brow, of course, he knew he just had hit a nerve, she also knew that he was just bluffing, but she couldn't let them make to Aria until she did.

"Well, miss Fields, what you said, you want me to send an officer for your friends or are you going to tell me where were you the night that Charlotte DiLaurentis was murdered?"

"Bring officer Cavanaugh in the room and turn down the camera, I will sign a jury declaration later, and you're going to promise, that, anything I said in this room will ever let this four walls."

* * *

 _ **The Radley Hotel**_

 _ **1:35 am**_

 _ **Presidential Suite**_

 _ **Night of Charlotte DiLaurentis Murder**_

Her phone tintinnabulation wakes her up almost immediately, she rarely receive calls late in the night, and when that happens, it always means problems; the number in the screen was private, or at least that's what she read, a killer headache was blinding her, so, very awkwardly, she stumbles down the bed off the bed where Hanna, who stir a little in her sleep, made her hurry and run to the bathroom, but before she could secure the call, she was arch down throwing on the bathtub. The call was already long gone, so she tried to make herself look less like a zombie and more like a human, because, as expected, the incoming call, from, presumably, the same private number was on again.

" _Security clearance_ " a though voice resonated from the other line.

"1005659, Captain Emily Catherine Fields"

" _Fields, I want your ass on Belvoir in an hour_ " The man on the phone almost growls at her, hell, he did growl at her.

"I live at two from Belvoir" she swallows the lump in her throat, "sir"

" _Then drive fast Fields!_ " She stands in the bathroom awkwardly waiting for him to hang up. " _I can't hear you moving soldier!_ " He screams, " _Do I need to send you a letter?! Move, move, move!_ "

Emily walk like if her ass was on fire, she didn't even notice that Hanna was up, but she did notice something, when the elevator made it into the lobby, she saw Aria walking maybe faster than her, Emily has to jog a little to catch her up, or, stalk her up. The petite girl took her her car and left the parking lot in a rush, never noticing Emily; the shortest of the posse has been a little shaken due her visit to Charlotte, she was able to say thing that any of them were capable, and that makes her clash with Alison for a little bit, but after the meet in her house the things went cold quickly; she has to shove the situation aside though, it was imperious her presence, and the Brigadier didn't sound very happy, so, she hurried herself up to the car and out of Rosewood. She was at 110 mph in a 60 mph driveway, so when she saw the gas station ahead she stopped, she needs to change her clothes to the **ACU** , — **_army combat uniform_**.—

The dependant saw her very weird when she made it into the store wearing clothes and came out of the bath wearing a full army uniform. He was staring while cashing the things she also has bought, such as a six-pack of cherry coke, a personal liter of water, plastic cups, Alka Seltzer, — the normal one,— toffee nut bars and a handful of coffee candies.

"Did you lost someone who looks like me or what?" she snaps at the man, he jumps back when he saw the gun into the holster, and look back at her.

"No sorry, it's just… I thought women weren't admitted into green berets"

Of course, the would think she was part of the berets, she wears a _Special Forces Tab_ after all, but she wasn't, she did pass the course, she is a Special force officer, she does train sometimes with them, but she fully committed with her army family, the _75th Ranger Regiment_. Her ACU badges and tabs include _army air assault_ , _airborne wings_ , and _infantry badge_ , also, she has earned the _airborne_ , _special forces_ and _Ranger tabs_. she was proud of her achievements at such a young age, 24 years and she already was considered a legend within her unit.

"I'm not a green beret, I'm ranger though," She said grabbing the paper bag was the man tossed everything she has bought.

"Well, thanks for your service" She smiles and left a one dollar tip in a jar in one side of the counter.

She left the place fast enough, the Brigadier Kastenbaum didn't like when his orders were dismissed so she speedup again ignoring the road laws, she made it to _**Fort Belvoir**_ at almost 2:45, she pass the sentry box and make into the _**INSCOM**_ building, immediately to the command room. Sheets were flying, the keyboards were hit furiously by the specialist and a row of high officers was in the front attending some other officers.

"There you are Fields!" The brigadier screams through the room, "I thought that I'll die to wait for you to show up" She presents her respect to the higher ranks officers in the room, two colonels and a Lieutenant colonel. "Your company was sent to a mission four hours from _Kabul_ , we got info from a stationary base, there has been hostage movement, but of course you know this, you were the one who gave clearance for this nonsense!"

Emily arch an eyebrow offended. "Excuse me, sir? but I don't remember anything of whatever you're talking about" The man tilts his head in confusion.

"What are you saying Fields?"

"What I'm saying, sir, is, that whenever someone authorized this mission it wasn't me, I'm not stupid, sent my company without zero knowledge of whatever is happening in that camp is just an stupidity"

The man breathes deeply and then look back at the three officers behind him, he looked red in anger. Brigadier Talbot was known by his short temper and with reason.

"I want the cretin who dares to authorize this mission, and if I don't have them in my office in the next two hours, I'm going to make all of you leave the army with dishonorable discharges and if any of those men lose, even if it's just a hair, I'm going to make sure that they sue all of your asses!" He turns and scans Emily from head to toe. "Fix this mess, it looks like your the only capable person in this room"

The man left the room followed by his cabinet, Emily stands in the middle in the room, the entire personnel has stopped their works and Emily looks around the room expectantly.

"What are you waiting for?!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, "A friggin' invitation? You hear the Brigadier, move your asses, I want that company secure for the 0600, east coast time in case of any of you were wondering!"

They spent the entire night working their asses out to extract the company guarded, they have lost comms so that makes Emily almost go nuts, she has yelled a lot that night; she has been certain that the mission has been authorized by the Brigadier itself, so that means that someone was trying to compromise them, there was a mole in the command, and the Brigadier wasn't happy about it, she neither, the Rangers on that team were her family, so this wasn't exactly a bliss for her. Until they made it, at the 7:33 am, the Regimental Reconnaissance Company was ready in _**Bagram airfield**_ , ready to come back to Fort Benning. She was in the _Officers Club_ taking her breakfast when the Brigadier comes to her, the man looked tired, older, she used to remember uncle Regi young and vibrant, he always has been a man with a non-bullshit policy, not even from her, when he saw her receiving her pin in the ceremony, he gave her a lecture before hugging her hard, after all, he was her godfather.

"You're a tough cookie kiddo, you make those cretins sweat"

"Yeah well, they were pretty much peeing in their pants with your outburst, you should watch it though, you don't want a heart attack, you should be taking aspirins these days"

"If you keep calling me old I'm going to put you in desk duty when your back" He calls a waiter, and, as always, ask for a stack of pancakes with chocolate syrup and orange juice, old habits die hard, she thought. "Talking bout' it, when's the operation?"

"Do not act all fool with me, I know you're keepin' tabs on me, Hailee may be a kick-ass agent on the field, but in personal matters, she sucks. Just like you" She keeps chewing on her bacon while the man receives his order dutifully.

"Your mother calls me, you still haven't told her… Emily, you promised." His voice was now low and tender, this was her uncle Regi and not Brigadier Kastenbaum

"I know ok, but… It's not easy, since dad, never is easy in my personal life uncle"

"Maybe, but you're the bravest cookie I ever met, you kid, have the heart of a lion, and just like I'm proud of you, and I know, your father is too, your mother will be ecstatic. You're an outstanding Officer, you have more balls than the entire Ranger Regiment together, so cut the crap and tell your mother about everything" She sighs hard, and keep the breakfast in silence until she has to go.

"It's, like always a pleasure to work with your kiddo, don't become a stranger on me" She hugged him hard. "You smell like a bar, Jesus kid, were you drinkin'?"

"I was hungover at three in the mornin' when I get your call. I'm off duty sir, I can do whatever the hell I want. Drink an entire bar is one of those things, sir." He chuckles a little and pats her shoulder.

"You're a little shit, just like your father"

She went back Rosewood, this time in a normal person speed, she even stops in the same gas station to change back on her clothes. She does take her time to make it to her house, so, at 9:30 she was already parked in the driveway, but not before spotting Detective Fury's car and a cruiser, — another one,— in front of her house. She made to the living room, were a very shaken Alison and a horrified Pam where sit across from the Detective and two more officers.

"Em" Alison reach across the room and hug her tightly and scramble down in her arms, she was inconsolable, Emily was confused by the presence of the police in her house, the first thought on her mind was Rollings. "She's gone, someone takes her away from me Em, Charlotte is gone." She was even more confused after the broken statement, her mind was in a lethargy by the alcohol and the lack of sleep, — the last one wasn't really an issue though.—"

"Miss Fields, we're here to inform miss DiLaurentis that this morning we found the body, it belongs to Charlotte DiLaurentis."

Emily was taken aback by the news, she was standing in there, but suddenly she wasn't, she has zoomed out, Charlotte is dead, that wasn't even a thing, she was a DiLaurentis. 'Those bitches have more lives than a cat' she heard someone said once.

"I want to see her" Alison determination bring her back to reality.

"Miss DiLaurentis… I don't think that would be convenient."

"Why would not be convenient to see my deads sister's body?" She asks with her teeth gritted. She was about to snap, she keeps wondering how Ali could pass from devastated to bitchy in a second.

"Well, she's…" The man struggling, she could tell. "The state of the body is not the way you want to remember your sister miss"

"What that's supposed to mean?" Pam Fields interject a little confused and angry.

"She has been mummified, the murderer becomes her in what it seems a doll" It just took less than a second for her to have Alison fainting in her arms.

 _ **Charlotte's Funeral**_

 _ **3:30 pm**_

The forensic handles the body the day after and was then sent to the funeral parlor, it was everything so sudden, so quick, so unexpected. Alison hasn't said a word since she wakes up; she didn't even take care of the body, it was all on Pam, who has been in every step of the journey, even in the moment of the funeral, Alison was sitting in the opposite row in the church, accompanied by the older Fields. Emily was looking around every now and then, she has the feeling of something bigger coming, and that happened when she first spotted Mona Vanderwaal a row behind theirs, the girl wave at her shyly, Emily nod slightly remembering the girl, somehow fondly since the last time she saw her, in her Commissioning ceremony.

* * *

 _Emily was a shaking ball of nerves, she was the next officer in the line to be called, and she was waiting for her godfather to show but, he called, he got stuck in a meeting back in Arlington so he wasn't going to make it, so she hasn't anyone to pin the gold bar in her uniform, affirming finally her grade as a Second Lieutenant of the US Army; 'but maybe anyone notice my lack of family' she thought, yeah, maybe, it was a possibility, the son of the Senator Ryan Albeit was in her class, so, she maybe get to pass under the wraps. And she did but for other reasons._

 _"Graduated with honors, the second lieutenant Emily Fields" She gave the step ahead in the podium. When she saw the petite brunette walking over a side of the platform Emily almost chokes, her eyes were wide open. Mona Vanderwaal was pinning the gold bars in her coat when she blinks again._

 _"Congrats Emily, your father would be proud of you, I know because I am"_

* * *

She looks back again within the minutes when she hears the wooden doors of the church opened again. Standing in there, with a black veil, like a widow mourning her husband, Sara Harvey. The four girls almost fall off the bench, Mona follows the direction of their looks, and she does note the demeanor in the girls change, the Hawaiian girl was livid, as the body inside the coffin.

Alison was shocked, so wrapped that she didn't notice when the woman sitting on the bench behind; somehow, she did notice the eyes on her, so, with an intense gaze, she tried to shy away the undesirable looks coming from the four friends, Emily was adamant on makes herself notice over Harvey, she wasn't the same 'weak link' like seven years ago, now she was strong and dangerous, and that's something that Sara Harvey didn't know.

"This isn't happening" Aria looked so frightened, Spencer and Hanna were annoyed, and Emily, well, the Captain was beyond pissed.

The service ended and they weren't going to the cemetery, the stood outside the church, waiting for Alison and Pam to leave, Caleb and Ezra also were there. The former English teacher of Rosewood high looked different, old, tired, sad; a shadow from the young and vivid professor; Emily knew about Nicole's kidnap and later report of her dead, she was there when the army team came back from Colombia, she was still a Junior agent and her uncle Reginald tell her about it. Caleb, in the other hand, looked neat and handsome, working back at DC, and now working with the Hastings in Veronica's campaign was what bring him back to Rosewood, after hi and Hanna split up, he hasn't thought in Rosewood lately.

"I'm going to get the car" Caleb and Spencer were made it to the church together so.

After Alison and Pam leave for the cemetery, they saw Mona run away terrorized, and no so much after that, evil read coat leaving the place accompanied by who looks like his new guide dog.

"What is she doing here?" Aria asked generally, the petite was embracing herself, searching for comfort.

"Making sure Charlotte is really dead" Emily answered following Sara's car while this lost itself in the distance.

"Really, most sincerely dead" Spence muttered with an obscure expression.

"Let's get out of here"

They wanted to go, they really did, but Detective Calderon has other plans for the girls.

"Hello" Emily never was a fan of the man, she never likes him, nor like Toby's friend or like Alison's suitor.

"Lorenzo" Emily great sternly. "How are you?"

"Alright," he answered equally stern. "Under the circumstances. I was wondering what your plans are for the next couple of days; if you're going to stay in Rosewood?"

"Why, want to go for a drink?" Spencer gave her a look, the 'Do not push' look.

"No. I'd make it easier if you stay?"

"Make what easier, exactly?" Spencer asks in her lawyer voice, or maybe it was the Hastings' voice, Emily sometimes didn't note the difference between one and another.

"Charlotte's murder investigation. We found her in the Dollhouse, the conditions were...not ideal. She was retired from Welby against her will."

The four girls gave each other quizzical looks, they knew what was going to happen next, at least deep down they knew well.

"You'll get a call" With that last sentence, the man left with them drowning in questions and fear of what was going to happen next, what was the next step in this new and unknown game.

"So, someone kidnaps Charlotte to later kill her?" Aria asks dreading an answer.

"Don't go there" Spencer warned unsurely.

"Spencer, we've been living there for a long time." Hanna huffed frustrated. "It's not like it's a long commute."

Emily suddenly lost part of her bravado in that statement. "I want to go home"

"We are home"

They went back to the Radley, it has been a hell of a day; Emily has barely sleep and was still half hungover, that has been one of the reasons to her soberness, she hated to be useful after it. They made it into the lobby an choose some sofas apart from the crowded room, they really needed to talk, begin prime suspects from a murderer was so 2012.

"Your phone is ringing Hanna, could you please get it? it's driving me nuts" Spencer asked not so kindly. Hanna groaned and turned off.

"Who was it?" Emily asks.

"Jordan, my fiancè" Ahh, Emily thought, the infamous fiancè.

"Have you tell him?" Aria asks. Hanna stared at her lost.

"Tell him what?"

"This town, Charlotte. Everything we went through" She clarifies like it was the most obvious answer, Emily was still lost in the conversation, she barely knows about Hanna's relationship, let along about this Jordan guy.

"She means the things that he can't google." The younger Hastings interjected.

"When I knew that I was falling in love with him" That was an unsure answer, Hanna was nervous, so, she hasn't told him, or at least not everything. Emily thought, she did talk about it with Hailee, she has hacked it through the subject but, just the same.

"Liam and I aren't there yet but… I'm sure he's going to have a lot of questions when I get to Boston." Emily remembers then that Aria was leaving today, she has scheduled a reunion with her editor for the upcoming tour.

"Are you sure you should leave tonight?" Spencer sounds unsure, worried even. "The police it's in our backs, and you leaving it's not exactly going to give a good impression."

"This meeting is important, I'm not going to push it aside because Charlotte is storming again in our lives, even if it's from hell."

"Yeah well, I have an upcoming interview with Vogue and you don't see me running away." Hanna fenced back a little upset.

"Guys. This is very important to me. It took me so long. I'm going to sign with Harper Collins." She looked so dreamy, happy even, that Emily was doubting to ask.

"They're going to start asking about what we did that night"

Emily was unsure about that too, how was going to explain leaving in the middle of the night when she can't even explain her job to her mother?

"Let them, we were in her the entire night, to wasted to move, remember?"

The glance that Hanna threw at her make Emily straighten up in her sit.

"Well, the only person that they should be asking is over there," Spencer said bitterly at the sight of Sara declining the pen from the valet.

"Can she really not sign her own name?" Aria wondered.

"I think she's lying. Just like she lied about the Swedish syndrome to get her sentence reduced." Hanna deadpanned. Spencer snorted.

"It's Stockholm syndrome. And it's a real thing."

"She was never kidnapped Spence, so no, for her it's not a real thing. She chooses to make our lives a living hell by her own, no one helped her in that."

"Well, if she was really brainwashed, then she had a strong motivation. Revenge."

Arias phone vibrated making her look back at it, it was an alarm, her fly.

"I will like to stick around and surmise about Charlotte's murderer but I had to get going"

They stand and say their farewells and I Love you's to Aria, she let go the detail about Aria's midnight escapade. Spencer let for the bathroom when Hanna accompanied the girl to get her car, so Emily went to the bar for a drink, non-alcoholic drink, she was done for good, last night has been a slip in four years and it was enough already.

"Where did you go last night?" Hanna's voice came from behind her. She turns over to look the determined face of the blonde. Well, crap.

* * *

 _ **Rosewood PD Precint**_

 _ **5:35 pm**_

It has been a long time since she has felt so numb, so worthless, so empty. It has taken so long for her sister to came along with her past, so long to get her family back, and when the path looks so enlight, so clear, the life took her away from her the opportunity to be a family again, to not be alone again. She was reading the Forensics report, it was like a horror movie, the sheet in front of her has been extracted from a Tarantino movie.

The murder has made operations on her, without anesthesia, Charlotte has been awake during the procedures, feeling everything, aware of all the horrors. She endures the retirement of her vital systems. She was stuffed like a turkey in thanksgiving.

"I know this is hard for you miss DiLaurentis but I need your cooperation."

"I told you everything I could know for god's sake, what else you want from me?" Alison's expression was gone, lost in the space. Her aspect was sick, beat.

"Sara Harvey gave her statement already. The burnt in her hands take her out of the list." The man was looking for something, but she wasn't even there. "Do you suspect of any of your friends?"

She snaps out of her numbness, that was an accusation unacceptable.

"Do not deflect this on the girl detective Furey. You're taking the easy way out."

"I'm just exploring my options."

"I don't give a damn about your options, I want justice for my sister, I don't care the cost."

 _ **Fields Household**_

 _ **6:06 pm**_

Emily hasn't made it to the house yet when she arrived at the Fields household, Pam was out, with Ashley Marin, she will be back before dinner Alison thought, but she wasn't so sure anymore, later, she has been having strange dreams, disturbing dreams. The memories of that night were coming back, storming like an assailant in the middle of the darkest night.

She went to her room, wanting to sleep, she lies looking for the ability to rest, something that has been long gone on her; but she didn't make it, instead, her mind gets trapped in her body all over again, feeling powerless, she was a victim in that dark nightmare. The heavy body starts to crawl up over the far end of the bed, goosebumps start to run on her skin, trying to crawl back, attempting to escape the burning sensation of his touch, of his essence, acid, scorching, hurting.

 _The shadow was growing, making itself most present, vivid, real. Cold blue eyes, freezing her inside, tying her to be aware of his presence on her, kissing, biting, touching: his hands snake down her stomach, she didn't have the strength to fight back, not anymore, she was giving up on everything, on Emily, on the girls, on her job, on life, she wasn't certain if she could keep up with her personal hell. The assault was relentless, merciless, brutal, the invasion was full of harm, she could feel charging deep in her bones, and the worst of it, she knew, deep down, that she deserve it. She didn't scream, this was her punishment, and she was okay with it._

She wakes up gasping for air, looking for something to hold on, but she didn't last much without jumping out of the bed after the wave of nausea streak and she couldn't even endure the travel to the bathroom, she throws up in the middle of the hallway, it was mostly Gatorade and salty crackers, she snaps up when she heard the steps coming closer, up the stairs, down the hall, she hasn't heard the front door. Her mother was standing in front of her.

* * *

 _ **The Radley**_

Emily, swallow deeply from her cherry coke glass, suddenly, her throat has become dry as a desert, she hums and put the glass back at the bar a little frightened by Hanna's inquiries.

"Are going to answer me or you're going to stand there like an airhead?" Emily looks up at the ceiling, praying silently to god for a way out. "Emily!"

The girl snaps out and gives up on running away, it won't be easy with Hanna so attentive at every move "I had a work call that needed all my attention" Hanna looked at her with suspicious, like if she was trying to detect if she was lying or not.

"At three in the morning'?" She inquired leery. "You're supposed to be on vacation, right?"

"Yeah, well, it was imperative for me to attend that call" She deadpan unyielding.

Hanna never has heard Emily talk so sternly, so firm, obviously it was an important call if she was reacting so cold, but at the same time it was so bothered and agitated by a simple questioning. There was something up with Emily, she has noted since the first time she saw her; the car, the way she moves, she talks, she handles herself sometimes, nothing that she never saw before, so confident and firm, like she owned the place, or maybe like she could be burned down in the blink of an eye, especially with the Charlotte thing, she was the one who make the first contact, that one that take care of everything before they ever talk to her.

"Ok, but what about Charlotte?" She queries curious. "You never answer the question I made you when she was at your house"

Emily rolls her eyes and take the glass at the bar and gulp down quickly, trying not to snap at Hanna. "What do you want me to say, Hanna, that I kill Charlotte?" She snapped with gritted teeth, biting down her tongue attempting not to sound or look too aggressive, failing miserably. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, I didn't"

"I'm not saying that it's just… before… when we were young, I could read you, all of you; when you were sad or angry…" The designer sight defeated. "now I don't know you at all, it's like you're a stranger for me"

Emily exhale, reliving her frustration and anger towards the world, the universe, the karma or whatever was dragging her along the way back to the insecure little Emily.

"Hanna, I love you, and I love the girls so much that sometimes hurt me not to be there for all of you, but, we grow up, we move on, and like you said, when we were young; we're young right now, but not that younger"

Hanna's eyes filled up with tears, she knew it, deep down she knew it, they have lost Emily the day that she didn't answer that phone for the first time; when she saw it in that car, looking surprised at her presence, Hanna didn't repair in it, but at this point, she didn't have the shadow of the doubt, Emily was gone, at least the Emily they all knew and love.

"We've lost you, haven't we?" The blonde's voice shattered into pieces, and Emily was just devastated at the sight of one of the strongest person she ever met crying, on her.

"Han, no- I- no, you could never lose me, ever, I just, grew up you now?" The captain hugs her friend tightly, trying to assure her statement. "I just… change, all of us, it's just- I love you, Hanna Marin, never doubt it" They stay like that over fifteen minutes, Hanna crying on Emily, again, and Emily murmuring reassurance words on her ear, like when Caleb left that first time and Emily spent hours holding onto her, not letting go for once.

Just her mother's ringtone interrupt the moment, Emily, without letting her go, take the phone out of her back pocket and answer it a little uncomfortable.

"Hey mom, what's up"

" _Em, please, hurry up, it's Alison_ " Her distress alerted her like a drug dog in an airport. " _She's almost passed out in the hallway Em, I don't know what to do_ "

"Mom, calm down, I can't understand you if you keep crying, I need to calm down and call an ambulance" Hanna was now looking up to her, she muttered a silent Alison, and Hanna was alerted too.

" _I already call Em, but I don't think they made it, she looks so bad_ " She was sobbing by the time Emily was already in the parking lot with Hanna.

"Mom, please talk to me, what do you see?" She was trying to stay calm because there was no way that this was actually happening again, to threatens to Alison life in less than a month.

" _She's- she's sweating, and-and her pupils are dilated, vomiting, her pulse is… Em is beating so fast_ " Em was recounting the symptoms in her head, and the only thing that comes into her mind was an intoxication.

"Mom, Alison it's poisoned, I need you to run to the aid kit and take the Activated Charcoal" She was already spreading down Main street directly through Bridgewater terrace when she heard tha ambulance in the background.

" _Oh thank God_ " She heard her mother sigh in relief.

"Mom, I'm going to hang up, I will be heading to the hospital, I'm going to wait for you in there" She hang up and pull the car in the side of the street, Hanna was looking at her with puffy eyes an expectant.

"Emily, what the hell it's going on?"

"Alison got, somehow poisoned Hanna, and in our lives the coincidence aren't exactly a thing."

"What are you Implying Em?" Before Emily could even respond, their phones chimed at the same time.

She could feel her blood pressure drop immediately, her heart was beating even faster than the time she went to her first mission. Her screen was lighten up with the notification, her lock picture was displaying in there, maybe one of the most beautiful moments in her latest years; christmas eve of the last year, Liverpool, UK.

 _ **Unknown: Tic toc, the ⏰ tic, toc; 🔎 Charlotte before the last tic toc. Ask Ali if you want to know.**_


	7. Another Lie That I Carry On

_**Rosewood Memorial Hospital**_

 _ **8:15 pm**_

It was happening again, it was like being dragged into a nightmare that you think you already wake up, but in reality, it's just beginning again and Emily was already physically exhausted.

"I can't believe this is happening again" Hanna was sit in one of the chairs of the waiting room, zoomed, gone.

"It's not happening again, I'm not going to take it" Spencer was pissed, adamant in not accept something like that again.

"Too late Spence, we're in again, it's not going to stop" Hanna barked against the lawyer, but her eyes were watery, the nightmares were still hunting her.

"I agree with Spencer, I'm not going to fall again in this crap, that's why I need to tell you something about that night"

Emily was pacing around the room, her fists wielded hard making her knuckles white, her jaw jammed and all her muscle tensed up.

"What about Aria?" She asks suddenly, almost yelling, she didn't want to send the girl to the wall, but they needed to know.

"What about her?" Spencer turn back from her spot immediately, used to protect Aria from the world, the young Hastings wasn't planning on stopping now.

Her chest was tight, it was costing her to breathe, to stay focus on what was important, her mind keeps exploring dark corners because she was aware of the consequences of that message. "She left the hotel before I did. I don't know where she went, but there's something, I'm sure, is off, and if the detective Furey knows this, she would be in trouble."

"You left the hotel early this morning Em, just like I did and sure Aria too" She looks up bewildered.

"No Spence, she left almost an hour before Charlotte's dead." Hannah stands rising her voice, emphasize in every word sending deadly glares at Emily. "You lie to me when I ask you about where you went and now are you telling me that you hide this from me too" she growls at Emily who steps up proud at the admonishment.

"I didn't lie to you, I told you that it was about work and it was true, and about Aria, I dismiss the part because you had the prudence of a tomahawk and as subtle as hand grenade"

Spencer was in the side still clueless, but still feeling the tension between them; the Emily they used to meet would answer maybe mumble or snap and then apologize, not come head to toe with Hanna as in the current situation.

"Ok, you two, time up. Could you please explain, what in the actual hell it's going on?"

"What it's happening it's that this is not our best friend, lying, sneaking out, keeping secrets: we're supposed to be forward with each other, we promise it, and in a moment like this one we should be together, not keeping information, and definitely not telling lies." Hanna rambles in frustration.

Emily was stressing more and more, her head was throbbing, she could hear her heart beating faster and faster in her chest; the message spinning in a loop, Hanna's words, Arias images sneaking out of the Radley; there has been a lot of time since she has felt so overwhelmed by a stressful situation, she has been trained to handle dangerous, — for not to say mortal,— cases, and, as always, Rosewood was bringing her back to her old insecure and uncontrolled self.

"I'm not your puppy Hanna! I'm not the scare girl that will run away to cry on your lap when something go wrong, that girl is dead!" She was panting in anger. "right now I don't have time to your hysterias, we need to figure out if Ali's poison it's related to the message, what it means, if Elliot has something to do with these and keep Aria away from the sight of Furey in the meantime we reach for an explanation"

"Good, I agree with you…" Spencer interfere almost like a frightened kitty, surprised, sad and concern by Emily's statements. Hanna wiped away a tear running down her cheek. "Mmm, right, so… The message is clear, about what it means."

"Presumably" Emily interject with half of the voice she had before, still strong but with a hint of regret. "We don't know if it's true yet."

"It's more than clear Emily, Charlotte it's definitely not dead; the Dilaurentis' are half bitches, half cats." Hanna interjected. "We need to find out if it's not our friendly neighbor, Big A, wanting to go all jigsaw on us all over again."

"It's an option, but I want to keep an eye on Rollins" Spencer ask intercalating her gaze between the two girls. "Ali told him things, I don't know what, but, maybe he knows things and he could have Charlotte."

"Do you really think she's alive? I mean, Toby saw her, and we pretty sure did see the coffin."

"I'm not distrusting Toby, but I'm not definitely trusting Rosewood Police department either, we already know how dead are some of the people they found" Hanna, nodded in agreement with Spencer, still with her eyes fixed on her feet, Spencer gave Emily a pointing look, she sighed loudly.

"Go see Ali, wait for her to be right, ask her all she told Rollins, everything you can get, don't let anything behind about what we think, well, except for the Charlotte suspects, all of them, we don't want her to have a cardiac arrest or something." She took her jacket from the chair where she was sitting and put it on.

"Where are you going?" Spencer asks instead of Hanna, who didn't dare to, not anymore.

"I'm gonna look for other leads. Keep me posted"

She let the place like if her ass was on fire, she would have time later for apologies to Hanna for being a bitch, in the meantime, she has to dig around Rollins as much as she can, and she's going to need help, official and not so official. She went through her phone already in her way to her house, it just takes two dials for him to answer.

" _Em, I heard what happened, I heard about Ali, how is she?_ " Toby's voice was concerned, even if the didn't have a good relationship in the past, she saw it, they have learned to handle each other.

"We don't know yet, my mother and the girls are in the hospital waiting for news, but I think she was poisoned." The breathing on the other line hitch, she gave a turn down the main street to Bridgewater Terrace, looking for her house.

" _Do you want me to talk with detective Furey and Lorenzo, they could…_ " She pulls outside the DiLaurentis household before she interrupted the officer. "Look Toby, no offense intended, but, I don't trust the law enforcement in Rosewood, I'm recurring to you because you're like a brother to me and, frankly, you had more rodeos with the A stuff, so, keep this under the wrap for now."

" _A, rodeo's, Em what you're talking about, please don't tell me—_ "

She cursed internally, of course, it will end like this. "Yes, it is happening again, but we want to be sure that this is not a joke from our resident ex-fiancé."

" _Ok, what you want me to do?_ "

"Good, I want you to look everything you had on Rolling, from criminal records to professional and personal data, I want to know about everything you could find" She was already walking down the backyard to the back door, which has been fixed, or kind of.

" _Ok, good, keep you posted Em, and please, be careful._ "

She wanted to tell him that careful was her middle name, but he knew it was Catherine so, she didn't see the point. Breaking in to the place was rather easily, seeing the crime scene again not so much, everything was neat and clean, but the bleach essence was too much, and for some reason, she still could smell Alison's blood and desperation all over the place; the flashes of a bloody and nearly dead Alison, keep hunting her, awake, or asleep; even if later on was struggling on figure it out if she really was awake, or sleeping back in her loft on Westwood, waiting eagerly for a new tour or assignment that could lead to a new place. She start to trace back the steps of that night, she has heard Alison's statement, narrating every step; how she made to her house, put the wedding dress in the garbage bin, — Hanna scoff at that, she wasn't very happy about that, — walk back to the living and went upstairs, straight to the master room, her bedroom, it was odd, because that one used to be her parent's, now was Alison's; she took a long shower, put on some comfy clothes, and went to bed, four hours later, Elliott Rollins made into the DiLaurentis' house, presumably, with Alison's spare key, bargain into the room, struggling with Alison, and then, hit her, Emily remembered how Alison has struggle marks, also, she has skin under her nails. She squat down, searching, Toby has mentioned about how didn't went to the room, since all the evidence was down, and she saw it, it was a phone, and, definitely, not Alison's. She went straight to one of her jacket inner`s pocket, she always was bearing handkerchiefs, they were just for versatility purposes, it was less creepy that hanging around with leather gloves.

Wasting any time, she involves the cellphone in the fabric and put back on her pocket and walk away from the house, she took her phone again, but this time dialed a different number.

" _Alvarez consultancy, how can I help you?_ "

A mocking tone receives her in the other end, as always.

"Elliott Rollins, write it down very good, I want everything, you can get me; where he's from, who are his parents, where he lives, what he eats, how he sleeps, his favorite shows, what kind of porn does he like, every piece of information you can get me will be useful."

" _Roger that Cap, how do you want it and where?"_

"I want it for print, not digital trace, and want it for yesterday. Can you make your way into a CCTV from there?"

The way they keep the information in their unit was changing, and it changed fast, they couldn't slow down, not even a bit, it could mean dead people and catastrophe; so she was used to working in full capacity, giving fluctuating orders.

" _If it publics sure, easy peasy, but if it private, maybe, in the better of the cases, if it's not, I will need a trojan horse._ " She could hear her hands working fast on the keyboard of a very kick-ass computer, build up by the kid with her first salary.

"Try in the Radley Hotel, they had _Danvers Security,_ but it was built by a friend of mine, Caleb Rivers" a silently hums, followed by typing, and then a very particularly long hum of realization.

" _He looks, you know, ok, but, not ok enough, give me some time, a couple of hours, I will have the footage, the intel on this Rollings guy will be for tomorrow afternoon in you closer FedEx_ "

"Good, heads up at any casualty Legacy, we don't want surprises."

Starting the engine, Emily began her trip back to the 45 of Serenity Lane, with a -A probably hanging around doing -A stuff, she didn't want to be caught with her pants down. She speeds upstairs immediately, makes her way into the house, straight to her room, going through her suitcase, taking out her holster and gun, putting it inside the waistband of her jeans, hide behind her pullover and jacket. And before she could speed back out of the room, Sher mother opened the door, hitting her in the face.

"Oh my god! Emy, are you Ok?" Emily was still inclined back when her mother tries to reach for her.

"Yeah, don't worry about." She has to say, hitting by a door was not nice. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be with Alison back at the Hospital" she asked while rubbing at her harmed forehead.

"Well about that, you're not going to believe it; they're sending Ali to Welby." Yeah, after that, she could handle another knock from the door, (ja).

"Wait, what in the actual…!" She didn't end the curse, her mother, in between her concern, was still a mom. "I left like 45 minutes, how much can someone been through in 45 minutes." And she suddenly realized, bad choice of words. "Well scratch that, mom, please, enlighten me, I'm not understanding anything."

"She has a violent nervous breakdown, her hallucinations with Jessica and this cop, Darren Wilden makes her aggressive and dangerous" In any other person case's, people would say, 'what, no, she's not an aggressive person', but this was Alison DiLaurentis who they were talking, maybe she wasn't a full bitch anymore, but a bitch after all.

"What Spencer and Hanna said, they were there, right?"

"Yeah, well, Hanna was, Spencer has an emergency with her mother's campaign, but she expressed her disagreement before she left," Pam explained while sight, and that let her know that Spencer went all Hastings in her opinion against it.

"And Hanna, well," another resignation sigh. "She called the Chief of Psychiatry an 'incompetent airhead'."

"That totally sounds like her. Either way, I'm in my way out, this thing it's going from worse to worser every minute."

"It looks like… Em…" she looked doubtful, almost afraid.

"Hey, was wrong?" Her eyes softened, and her body language change drastically.

"I know it's not the time, but, have you considered and gave Dad a visit? I just keep wondering, you haven't seen him since the funeral."

Emily bites her lower lip, her mother was right, it wasn't the moment, and about the other stuff too.

"Mom, I don't really need to see the grave to really be with him, or remember him, I prefer to remember him as the man she was and not like a cold stone."

"Yeah, but, maybe it will be good for closure, her sudden death was traumatic...you weren't right." It was a pure concern out of her mother's heart, she knew it, but it was really not the time.

"But I'm alright now, just, let it go. Now, I really have to go, need to see what's happening with Ali." She let a kiss in her mother's cheek and run out of the place.

When she made it to Radley, Hanna and Jason were talking quietly in the side with a doctor; she came closer to them and notice it was the man who attended Alison the first time she was there.

"I don't know what happened in there Mr. DiLaurentis, the only thing I know it that a nurse got an injury and a couple of machines where trashed." Hanna tilts her head while Jason rubs his face, like trying to take away everything.

"Hanna, Jason; my mother told what's going on." She looks at the man and with a nod she greeted. "Doctor."

"Ah, you're the girlfriend, right?" She tried to deny immediately but Jason jump first.

"Yes, Emily is my sister's girlfriend."

"Right, so, like I was saying here to Miss. Marin and Mr. Dilaurentis; Miss. DiLaurentis breakdown was so sudden, she was very weak by the fluid lost, but she managed to hurt a nurse and damage some equipment, Dr. Boyd recommended and immediately admission to Welby" He deadpanned emphatic.

"And what do you think?" Jason asked concerned.

"I'm not a psychiatrist Mr. DiLaurentis, but as a Doctor, I like you to ask for another opinion, this is not a normal case, Miss DiLaurentis has been through a lot lately, so maybe, a second opinion would do better."

"I agree with the Doctor, Jason, we can just put her in there for the sake of it." She looked wary about it, the situation was so 2010.

"Yeah, but, he's the best psychiatrist in the county Emily, we can just shake his opinion like that."

Jason seemed convinced about what Doctor Boyd said to them, Emily didn't, but legally, was up to Jason to decide if Alison was going to Welby or just go ahead with the second evaluation. Hanna wasn't convinced either, she has seen how -A has sent nuts two people before, for her, Mona counts too, -A and Mona weren't the same people for her.

"I don't know Jason, she was as fine as she could be with the Charlotte ordeal."

"Yes Hanna, but Charlotte DiLaurentis has a keen for drive people crazy, you two should know that by now." He snapped at Hanna who didn't step back, just got more frustrated by the moment.

"Look, Jason, you think you're know was best for her, but really, you're just an outsider," Hanna answer just as snappy and heat up like him.

He snorted loudly and roll his eyes remembering her so much to Spencer and Alison. "Yeah, because all of you are better than me, moving on with your life's, letting Ali alone with that psycho as a boyfriend."

"Please, could you stop thinking on yourself one minute!" Emily finally breaks at their antics. "This is not about you, pair of dumbass, this is about Alison and her wellbeing, so, take your head out of your own asses and hear the doctor out."

"I don't need to hear anything else, Alison is going to Welby, period."

"You're making a big mistake Jason." They all didn't notice how the doctor has just left, uncomfortable by the suddenly bantering of the two blondes and the brunette. "You're too biased to make this call."

"And you don't? Jesus, Emily, you love having her in your house, your opinion is just as biases than anyone else's." Emily has lately a short temper by everything that was happening, and the tantrum that Jason was throwing on them wasn't helpful to her chakra.

"Jesus Christ, Jason shut the hell up and listen for a minute." Hanna had already lost her temper, Emily couldn't afford that luxury, it would become a war zone in the case.

"There's nothing you can say to change my mind unless you don't want to see Ali anymore." His tone was menacing, Hanna's expression went from pissed to surprise and then to violent in a second.

"Don't you dare to threaten me Jason DiLaurentis, I could bury you with a phone call." The teeth gritted menace got out from the gut, poisoned with venom and hatred.

"You two are unbelievable, are you done playing with Alis' future or you need a break to reevaluate your game?" Emily comes between them challenging, begin taller than Hanna and not much shorter than Jason, she looked imposing to the two blondes. "I'm done with your bullshit, or you shut the hell up by your free will or gladly do the job for both of you, what do you say?"

"What it's going on here?" Spencer was with hands intertwined with Caleb, Hanna almost flinch at the sigh, it was new and strange.

"Your darling brother seems like to be the worthy brother of -A, this burnout want to send Ali to Welby."

"Hanna!" Spencer scold immediately scandalized, Jason roll his eyes and fold his arms in his chest in a signal of relentless stubbornness.

"I'm just telling the truth, this nincompoop seems to be deaf, or maybe to much weed ruin his capability of thinking."

"Well, maybe too much smog let you stupider than ever Hanna, or maybe it's to much dye."

A frustrated scream and the next thing they were doing was trying to take Hanna out of Jason's back, Caleb was pulling Hanna by the hip, and when finally they made it, the technician was attempting to keep her still, but a loud groan make him lose his grip and Hanna just fly towards Jason again, Spencer intercept her middle way.

"Caleb what the hell!" She claimed in a struggle to keep Hanna still.

"She bite me!" He exclaims nursing his swollen arm. "What do you want me to do!?"

"To man up!"

"Hey!" The yell brings them back from their fight, Veronica Hastings was fuming watching the panorama of destruction. "Have you lost your mind? This is a hospital, not a ring." They all notice Melissa in the back with a shit-eating grin on her face.

"Kids, long time no see" She greeted.

"Someone care to explain what this all about?" She interpellates looking at the former teenager's lineup like ants.

"This airhead that is supposed to look up to Alison's best interest want to send her to a nut job house." Emily has sat in one of the chairs, she was already texting Hailee, who has come up with the security's tapes, and as direct order, she has tampered and deleted all trace of Aria of they, she wouldn't want to risk the girl, and supposedly, she was working also on deleting her trail.

"I'm sorry to try to protect my sister so tell me Doctor Hanna, what am I supposed to do?"

Veronica huff, and Spencer sigh, they weren't helping like at all.

"Don't waste your time Mrs. Hastings, I've tried for the past 30 minutes, they're not gonna stop until neither of them is dead if you want, I'm willin' to kill em' both" Emily mutters waiting for an answer.

"Thanks Emily, I maybe take your word on that, now, Jason, could you please behave like the grown man you are and go and grab a coffee?" They women suggestion to her stepson sounds more like an order that was followed by the aforesaid, who let a dirty look at the youngest Marin.

"Sit down and chill your tits Hanna." Spencer scold, Caleb was still lurking about the bite in his hand. "Em, a word?" Spencer asks her look was severe. Not a good signal.

"Why I had the suspicion that you didn't let because of an emergency for your mother's campaign?" Emily was already fearing the worst with a new -A running around.

"Because I wasn't, Caleb called me, he manages to get the location of the cell phone where the message comes from, It was almost a dead end road, she left a hoodie, the burnout phone and this." She takes from her coat a manila envelope, it has written in red angry letters:

 _ **I Don't Lurk in the Shadows, I hide at plain sight.**_

"You opened?" Emily inquires, almost felling what was in the envelope.

"No, I think we should wait for Aria, she's coming back tomorrow night, that message scare her, and this is just going to maximize that fear, this is officially what we were begging for not to be. A is back."

Emily went out of the waiting room looking for a vending machine, some sugar maybe could make the moment lees bitter, or at least that was she had put her fate on, sweet candy to make her bitter life, less crappy and more bearable; she found one in some hallway, she take a toffee and peanut bar and three four-fingered kit kat, she was going and get some coffee, when a doctor approach to her.

"Emily Fields?" She tilts her head sidewards and swallows the chunk of the toffee bar.

"Yes?"

"Hi, I'm Randolph Chase, head of surgery, I recognize you from the photo of your file, Dr. Ororo send it a couple of days ago." she shakes his hand with a polite smile, the forty-ish-year-old man look rather charming and juvenile.

"Yeah, Mina mention you, she told me that I could never be in best hands; I'm wailing to get over this though." She said shrugging at the situation.

"Mina mention that too, so, the surgery begin three days from today, maybe you can pas tomorrow, I want to make some test and see how you're doing, you know, just in case." He looked genuine and simple, and she liked that.

"Well, that would be perfect for me."

"Well, with nothing left to say, it has been a pleasure, Emily, see you tomorrow."

"See you by then." She starts to walk down the hallway until she has to stop because she collides with another body that was static in the middle of the alley. It was Hanna.

"Emily, are you dying?" Emily was taken aback by the question, Hanna's eyes were big, like a deer caught up in the highlights, full of tears.

"Han, what are you talking about? No, I'm not dying." Emily looked in distress, trying to calm Hanna who was about to cry. "I'm ok, I'm fine, not dying, see?" She has Hanna in a one arm hug.

"I heard you and the doctor talking Em, what was all that about?"

Emily stop on the way, she couldn't come out with a good excuse, except for the truth about her and about how she has been leaving all the last seven years, Hanna was her best friend and she was worried, and lately, the hell if she didn't know about the poor kind of friend she has been for the girls not only in the late days but in the past seven years.

"Hanna, I need you to promise me, you're going to let me finish, and after that, you're going to keep the secret, or at least until I feel ready to tell everyone."

"I'm a tomb, anything you say would be hearing from me." Hanna looked adamant to keep the secret, but she knew the lecture that she, subconsciously was preparing.

"I'm a fraud" Hanna tilted her head and frown, she was about to talk, but she restrained herself, listen first then talk, she remembered. "I don't work in the Salk Institute like you think I do." Emilly looks confused, struggling to finally reveal herself, "in my last semester, the same year my father dies I was confused, lost, hurt and didn't know what I was going to do with my life." Emily bowed her head in shame, she has lain so much to her family that she couldn't face it. "I did receive the invitation, but I never accept it."

Hanna was hearing, paying attention to every word, and she couldn't believe it, every second that Emily keeps talking, it's every moment in which Hanna was understanding more and more. "I don't understand, if you're not working, what are you doing, because you look fairly good for begin an unemployed person."

"Instead... I enroll in the Officers Candidate School of the army." Ipso facto, Hanna's countenance change to surprised, taken aback demeanor. "I accomplish four years a couple of months ago, and promoted to Captain two weeks after."

"You're a Captain of the Army… that's what you've been hiding all this time, were you planning to tell us something before or after you got yourself killed?!" Exclaimed scandalized

"See, that's what I wanted to avoid, reproach. All of you are doing what you love, teaching, writing, designing, coding, and whatever the hell Spencer do; and I, I'm doing just that Hanna, doing what I love." Hanna sighs trying to soothe herself from producing another fight.

"What exactly a Captain do, because I can't exactly see you carrying a Tommy gun shooting people going all _Hasta la vista baby_ in Afghanistan." Emily shook her head trying to suppress a slight chuckle.

"First of all, it's a rifle, infantry use rifles, not submachine guns, and, second of all, that's not how actually works Hanna. I'm a let's say logistics agent that sometimes have to get dirty for the sake of the country for the lack of a better word. I'm a special agent in charge of a special company on the 75th Ranger Regiment, that's all I can say to you but there you had."

Hanna's eyes went ajar, looking confused and doubtful. "So you're like a spy or something?" She rolled her eyes, people always asked that like if a special agent was synonymous of James Bond.

"No Hanna, I'm not a spy."

"Ok then, if you're not a spy, why can you tell me what you really do?" Emily sighs and turn her back on Hanna and start to walk away. "See, spy!"

Emily ended up in the waiting room again, with Veronica Hastings chatting quietly with who seem doctor Boyd, Jason sulking on Spencer in a corner and Melissa delighted, watching the world burns.

"Are you entertained or do you need some popcorn?" Emily asks sitting by her side.

"No, I'm fine, but thanks for the offer Captain." Emily glance at her a brief confused look, it was just that sign of disorientation. "Ah, I'm sorry, that was supposed to be a secret?" Before she could answer her, it wasn't going to be kind, her, it was Toby.

 _'Furey and Lorenzo got the footage of last night, his at the hospital after you'_

She stands up immediately, to be intercepted by the detectives on the waiting room door, two officers surrounded her and she threw her head back amused by the situation, Lorenzo came closer with a big smile on your face, that shit-eating grin that she was oh so wailing to punch away.

"Miss Fields, you have to come with us." First started calling everyone attention.

"Nice welcome committee, under what charges if I may ask?" She asked arching her eyebrows, Lorenzo was almost bouncing, he wanted for her to opposite the call.

"There are no charges, it's just a friendly talk about the night of Charlotte DiLaurentis' dead."

"I'm too busy for going around doing friendly talk, if you don't know, Alison has been poisoned, under your watch if I may add detective, so no, I'm not going anywhere." She was waiting for Lorenzo to touch her, she wanted to go to jail with a fair motive, like attacking a police officer.

"Don't make us arrest you, Emily, come with us in peace, it's gonna be quick." He tried, she gave her that, but she didn't believe his shit so…

"If you're not going to charge her with anything you can't make her Detective Furey." Veronica jumped and Spencer just nodded at her mother.

"Okay, good then. Emily Fields you're under arrest for begin suspect on the murderer of Charlotte DiLaurentis, You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you by the court. With these rights in mind, are you still willing to talk with me about the charges against you?" Lorenzo was handcuffing her and Spencer and Hanna was begin helping back by two officers.

"Screw you."


End file.
